Overdrive
by whoatherebuddy
Summary: "I can't stop this feeling baby, only you can make me come alive." - A Bellamy Blake/OC fanfiction. Season 1 into Season 2 - Rated M for later mature scenes.
1. Chapter 1

_I grabbed the dagger from his boot and threatened it against his neck. My heart was pumping so furiously that I felt as if he could probably hear it, feel the fear coursing through my veins. _

_"If you ever touch me again I will rip your fucking throat out." I spat. And yet his eyes gleamed with the same insanity he'd had moments ago._

_I turned away from his body on the ground but kept hold of the knife in my sweaty hand. I felt dizzy, my head was bubbling with irrational thoughts of murder. _

_He laughed at me and grabbed my shoulder. It was this moment where my whole body snapped: my thoughts weren't irrational. They were the future. _

_I swiftly turned and swiped the knife across his neck, a cut so clean, it was as if he were my canvas and I were an artist. My mouth dropped open and the dagger fell to the floor as I stumbled back. _

_He went to his knees as if praying one last time. Whatever he prayed to never answered. The blood pooled darkly around his face as he lay in a heap on the floor. I dipped my fingers in his blood and scraped them across the wall. _

_Wobbling back, I looked up as a guard ran in and grabbed my neck before placing handcuffs on my wrists._

_He looked back at my message on the wall above the man. My face remained emotionless to him and I sensed his fear. His eyes scanned the wall and fell to the body._

_'Rot in hell.' was smeared along the wall in the bastards blood._


	2. Chapter 2

I felt inadequately giddy as I strolled through the metal tunnels of the ark. It was quiet for once, the guards had fallen asleep at their posts, children were not singing or playing and the atmosphere was beautifully serene.

I ran my hand along the metal walls, feeling the grooves and dents in the old material. My worn leather boots barely made a noise along the floor. The clamber of another set made me shudder and I rushed to hide behind an open door. I held my breath in fear they'd find me, through a tiny gap I saw the patrol running along the tunnel I had been mere moments ago. Their black uniforms suited the glum colours of the ark.

"She's not here." One reported into a radio. I heard the buzz echo through.

"Then fucking find her. Or I'll float you too." A male voice rattled out sharply, I swallowed the lump in my throat.

I recognized Councillor Kane as he strutted passed. His face was sincere and dead set in anger. God he looked pissed. Shifting, I watched them all hurry away as a message came through each of their radio's. I briefly made out the words 'Boarding the 100 now'. My heart leaped, this was it.

I followed rather sheepishly after them, treading lightly so nobody could hear. I pulled my long straight hair into a ponytail so it wouldn't get in my way and headed in the direction of the prison cells. Unlike the other areas of the ark this place was full of commotion, people shouting at one another and the creak of cell bars opening.

I hid in an empty cell for a second and grabbed a black leather jacket which was hanging up, the sleeves were a little too long but it would have to do. Swiftly walking away I hopped into the line of other prisoners who were being escorted to the end of the corridor.

We came to a halt whilst the guards identified us and I froze in fear. They'd know. I slapped myself mentally and bit my lip in anger. Fuck, this is where it'll go wrong.

My frown turned into a smile immediately when I saw Abby, her eyes widened in disbelief.

"Kora, what are you doing here?" She snapped. Her hand grabbed my face as she checked for any sign of physical injury. I shook her off.

"I'm getting out of here. The guards are getting suspicious, let me go." I told her whilst glancing at the men wearing guns.

"This is insane, you're going to get yourself floated."

"I would either way Abby." I said. "I might as well try."

She nodded and guided me with her hand into another corridor without any inspection from the guard. I gave her a quick hug.

"Wait what are you doing down here?" I asked quickly.

"Clarke is on the drop ship Kora. They're making my baby go."

I saw the tears in her eyes as she rushed off, trying to find Clarke probably. A feeling of warmth flooded me. Clarke was coming, at least I knew someone.

Abby had treated me numerous times from my injuries from my home. She'd never spoken a word because if my parents had've got floated I'd have nowhere to go. My tokens were already so slow I'd began to starve but she helped me. Having Clarke around during this gave me a lot of hope before but I hadn't spoken to her in what felt like forever.

The line went down and I got shoved painfully to the side away from the guards, not purposely but it was enough of an opportunity for me to squeeze through a gap. I waited for one of the men to turn away to speak to another officer and I darted between the metal doors. Two men on either side of me stood with large heavy loaded guns. They quirked an eyebrow at me and I stood in front of them, they shot a dart into my neck and I felt a sharp pain.

...

"Kora. Open your eyes."

I heard a familiar voice lightly wake me from my dazed state. I fluttered open my eyelashes and bolted up when I saw Clarke with her hand on my shoulder.

"Clarke? I haven't seen you in ages." I told her. She smiled at me and I studied her face, being in prison had obviously taken a toll on her.

"I missed you. Prison sucked without anybody to talk to." Clarke joked, I smiled at her and threw my head back in relief.

A sharp pain shot through my wrist and I gasped. "Shit."

"Its your tracker." I male voice told me, my eyes widened in surprise.

"Wells? What are you-"

He cut me off. "I got myself arrested when I found out Clarke was being sent to the ground."

I looked at her and she stayed staring at the floor.

"I'm not meant to be on here, how have I got a tracker?" I asked myself. Panic set in, if they came to the ground they'd kill me for definite.

My head snapped up at Clarke's voice. "My mom said something about adding you to the 100."

"I took somebody's place?"

"I think so."

I had no time to soak in the thought of another 18 year old being floated due to my escape because a message flashed up on the TV screen on a wall. I saw Wells tense up as his father started speaking. His father was councillor Jaha and by the sounds of the people who were seated around us they weren't happy with either one of them.

"Prisoners of the Ark. Hear me now, you've been given a second chance-" He started.

I tuned him out and looked away. I couldn't give a shit what he had to say at all. I'd learnt nobody could be trusted, the people of the Ark had been fucked over too many times by the councillors.

The drop ship started to shake uncontrollably and the lights flickered like lightening around our heads. I watched as boy floated in front of us. His thick brown hair was covered in a green beanie and he cockily floated in front of Clarke. I rolled my eyes at him and his stupidity. I'd heard his name was Finn.

Clarke and the boy argued slightly over his behaviour as he floated around and I snapped at him.

"She said get back in your fucking seats or you'll all be killed." I told Finn and the other two who had just unbuckled their seat belts.

They laughed just as a huge wave of tremors hit us. My head was thrown back at the force and I clenched my teeth together as the lights went out completely a girl's scream echoed through the compartment.

We jutted forward quickly and I watched Clarke undo her seat belt and rush towards the bodies of the two boys who'd followed Finn's actions. Abby was a medic and had obviously taught Clarke something but I could tell it was too late. They were dead.

I jumped off my seat and looked up at Wells, he looked distraught and I patted his shoulder and gave him a small smile.

"It's okay. She'll come round." I told him.

He looked away from her and down to me. "That's the thing. I don't think she will." He shook me off and walked to the front metal door of the drop ship. My relationship with Wells wasn't exactly strong, we were quite close but being hidden for over a year made it hard. I still didn't know what I would do without him.

I was pushed again to the side by a girl with dark hair. She glanced at me as an apology and I watched as she moved through the crowd to another guy right in front of the doors.

"Bellamy?" She asked him.

He was actually quite attractive, I thought. His smile showed a large dimple on the side of his face as she approached him. They looked so similair but it was impossible to have siblings.

I moved next to Clarke who said something to the boy which I didn't quite catch. All I know is that the girl turned and snapped at her.

"Do you mind? I haven't seen my brother in a year."

I crossed my arms in confusion and turned to hear somebody shout something to the crowd. "Nobody has a brother."

"That's Octavia Blake! The girl they found hidden in the floor!" Somebody else cried to us. I realised who they were. Octavia was the girl they'd found at that wretched masquerade party a couple years ago and Bellamy was her brother. I remember the day their mother was floated. Her screams seemed to fill the whole Ark. It seemed torterous, god knows how they managed to deal with it.

I swallowed hard and watched as _Octavia's_ face hardened, she went to attack the people who shouted but Bellamy held her back. She quietened and looked back up at him.

"Let's give them something else to remember you by." He smiled, I could tell from the way he treated her that nothing meant more to him than that girl right there.

"Like what?"

"By being the first person in a hundred years on the ground."

Octavia's face broke into a smile and Bellamy pulled a hatch so the door flew open. I gasped as brand new, fresh air filled my lungs. Everything felt so pure, the colours were beautiful and vibrant against the unfamiliar warmth of the sun. I stood still and inhaled again. Forgotten thoughts of everything didn't come back.

Stretching my fingers, I itched to run through the trees and feel the dirt on my feet. But I stayed still, Octavia had been stored under the floor basically her whole life. She deserved this.

Octavia stumbled to the end of the metal and jumped off, onto the soft soil. Her shoulder arched back as she breathed in the air. I couldn't blame her.

I laughed for the first time in years as she screamed to the sky. "We're back bitches!"

That was the moment I knew everything was different, my whole life would change and my first steps would be feeling the earth underneath my boots as I sprinted between the trees and the bushes. All the while the sweet smell of fresh air lingered in my lungs.

Hoots of happiness surrounded me as everybody scattered. I ignored Clarke and Wells and took off. My smile widened as I passed runner after runner. I halted at a cliff and looked out over the valleys and gorges. The early morning mist floated over the tall greenery bellow and I let out a breathy laugh. I tilted my head up into the view of the sun, my clear skin soaked up the heat and sentimental comfort. I stayed there for what felt like hours, I was finally free.

"How's it feel?" A voice spoke behind me. I turned around and opened my brown eyes. It was Bellamy.

"It feels good." I sighed at him.

His face sharpened at me and I realised he didn't speak to me out of his own good will. "Stop messing around, get back to the drop ship. We're heading to Mount Weather and we need everybody."

What an ass. "Hey!" I shouted to him as he turned to walk away. "You're not the leader. We've only just landed."

"We're going to starve if people like you keep wasting your time smelling the roses instead of getting to work."

I ignored him and stalked passed. Holding myself up with my dignity.


	3. Chapter 3

"I'll go with you to Mount Weather." I continued to Clarke, I held Well's legs down as she patted it with a cream from the drop ship. He had injured his leg but it wasn't anything serious.

She nodded and pursed her lips. I noticed the other prisoners were loitering around each other; not really doing anything useful even though Bellamy seemed dead set on everybody working.

Footsteps walked up to us as I helped Clarke. I looked up at Finn who stood watching us do our work on Well's leg.

"So?" He began with his thick eyebrow raised. "Mount Weather, when do we leave?" He asked us.

He stared at the back of Clarke's head so I stayed silent.

Wells shifted slightly due to the pain and I winced. "Sorry bud." I told him.

He shrugged but gave me a pained smile nonetheless.

Clarke lifted herself from the ground and turned to Finn who had his hands in his jacket pockets. I looked up at him and found that he had an attractive rugged look about him, light pink lips complimented his jaw which was covered in stubble from days of not shaving and his broad shoulders made his posture intimidating but he seemed pretty relaxed.

"We leave now." Clarke answered him. "We'll be back tomorrow with food."

Wells looked unsure and tilted his head at her. "How are the three of you going to carry enough food for 100?"

"Well it's only 98 now because someone decided being a moron was a good idea." I sighed at him.

Finn huffed, ignoring my comment. He turned around and grabbed the shoulders of two boys who were about my age. Turning them around, he smiled happily at us.

"Five of us." He said shrugging. "Can we go now?"

I wiped my slightly bloodied hands on my jeans and leaned on my right foot. Giving Wells an 'you lose this argument' look. Octavia bounded into our gathering and I realised she was insanely pretty, her pure complexion made me jealous as it matched her doe eyes. The flawless skin would've made anybody want her but Bellamy seemed overprotective so people stared instead of going for her.

"Sounds like a party. Make it six." She said with a little smirk. We all agreed silently and truthfully I was looking forward to getting to know her better.

Finn stretched his arms out and I saw his wristband had scratch marks on it. Clarke stepped forward and grabbed Finn's wrist, menacingly questioning him about his wristband. "Are you trying to take this off?" She snapped.

Finn stared down at her but let his hand stay in Clarke's. The sexual tension was too much so I ignored the rest and bent down to gave Wells a tight hug, he returned it and I hoped the other prisoners wouldn't do anything to him.

"Don't let the fucktards get to you Wells. I'll see you soon."

"Be careful Kora. Finn seems like a bit of an ass." He whispered back.

I laughed and started walking away and picked up a piece of metal Wells had crafted into a knife.

"Let's get this party started then." I clapped my hands together and followed Finn into the forest. Octavia fist pumped me in delight and ran ahead.

As we got further into the forest I fell behind as the two boys Finn bought along started to chat. They seemed chilled and I felt their kindness radiate from them.

"So then princess what's your name?" One of them asked. I flipped the knife in my wrist, flicking it over.

"Kora. What about you guys?"

The dude with goggles strapped to his forehead butted in immediately. "I'm Jasper and this is Monty."

I nodded as Monty picked up a white flower from the ground. "Look an Actinidine. For you my lady."

I took the flower from him and smiled. It was quite a beautiful flower, with white tiny petals and a vibrant green stem. I saw Jasper nudge Monty.

I was intrigued by how he knew the different species, I'd never met anybody who worked in different areas of the Ark. "How did you know what type it was?"

"We work in the green houses. It sucked but you learn some shit which adds up to being pretty useless down here."

"Stuff like what?"

"Facts like did you know Actinidine can grow over 6 feet tall?"

I smiled at him again. "Nope, I did not know that Monty. Thank you." I joked, he seemed pleased with my reaction and I laughed when Jasper started to stumble on his words.

"Shut up Monty. I'm sure the beautiful lady doesn't want to hear about flowers."

"She said thank you." He protested.

"They're flowers, Monty your flirting skills are dreadful."

Their banter made me laugh but I didn't want to be the cause of it so I ran forward next to Octavia. Finn placed a purple flower in her hair. She looked up at him and blushed as his hand brushed her cheek.

"Damn, see Monty. His flirting skills are pretty strong." I shouted behind me. Luckily Monty caught the joke and laughed with me.

Laughing, Jasper patted Monty's shoulder. "See, that my friend: is game. That is how it's done."

He looked confused for a second. "That. My friend is poison Sumac." Monty shot back.

I laughed when I realized he was joking but Octavia had already flung the flower away from herself.

I glanced at Clarke who seemed to look a little pissed as she marched ahead of everybody. She looked exactly like Abby and if she was like Abby when she was angry then fuck me.

Running ahead of Clarke I climbed over a dead tree trunk and crouched in front of a large field, hiding behind some tall grass which had overgrown quite artistically. I was alone whilst the others caught up but being alone was enjoyable, it was as if any weight on your chest could be lifted because you had nobody to keep filling your head with themselves.

A deer slowly cowered into the middle of the field and I gasped in surprise. I'd never seen a live animal before, the Ark had none. They took up too much oxygen so everybody on the Ark had to say goodbye to meat and hello to a vegetarian diet. The deer was a chocolate mocha color as it bent down to chew on the grass.

I smiled and stared at it. Obviously I was too transfixed to realize Clarke had crept up behind me and sat down, just like mine, her face had changed into a look of pure awe. The group crouched behind us and we all sat watching it eat. My hands were resting on the damp ground which was covered in dew from the early morning mist.

Finn crept ahead of me and I flinched when his foot landed on a twig, it snapped and the deer turned to look in our direction.

My whole body froze at the gore dripping from the deer's face, it was revolting and I'm positive Monty gagged behind me. The deer sprinted off, completely unaware of the growth on it's face.

"It's the radiation." I commented. My mouth had turned dry, I had been used to blood and seeing injuries worse than this but I think it was the realization that if that's how one creature had been affected: what was it like elsewhere.

Clarke swiftly turned away. "We should keep moving." She snapped at us.

Octavia shot me a look of annoyance and I smiled despite the queasy feeling in my stomach. I pulled my jacket further around myself and stood up.

...

"You know what I'd like to know?" Finn started as we stumbled down a deep hill. The dirt stuck to my boots slightly and I looked at him, signalling for him to keep talking.

Monty stuck his hand out to me so I could jump off a high ledge. I took it and thanked him. The anger filling Jasper's face made me laugh quietly to myself.

"Why send us down today? After 97 years, what changed?" He asked.

"Nothing changed, we got sent down because if we die then nobody would give a fuck." I said to him, he didn't reply but he knew what I said was right.

"Who cares?" Octavia smirked, I laughed as she ran ahead and spun around, proving her point. "I'm just glad they did. I woke up rotting in a cell, and now I'm in a forest."

I saw her face falter slightly when Finn strolled passed her without a second glance, pretty boy wasn't giving her what she wanted.

The mood changed when Clarke walked between us, we all watched her whilst she spoke. "The Ark is dying. With the current population level, they've got 3 months left of support."

I saw Monty and Jasper exchange a worried glance; their families must still be alive up there.

Finn jogged up next to Clarke. "So that's the secret? That's why they kept you in solitary and floated your old man?"

I bit my lip at Finn's words, I knew Clarke hated anybody talking about her father.

"My father was the engineer. He discovered the flaw, the council disagreed. My mother disagreed, they were afraid it would cause a panic. He was going to go public before Wells..."

I stared at the ground hard, watching my own feet as they dove into the soil. I knew the story, I'd heard the rumours about it but I knew exactly what happened.

Clarke swallowed loudly and carried on. "Then the guard showed up. That's why today. Even if we don't die, it's going to give them hope."

Monty pulled me closer to the group when he realised I was unaware of myself falling behind. "They're going to kill more people aren't they?" He asked her.

Octavia perked her eyebrow at him. "Good. After what they did to me. I say float them all."

"You don't mean that!" Jasper shouted after her.

We carried on walking, ignoring Octavia's apparent hatred for the others on the Ark.

"Is that why you're here? Did you know about that too?" Finn turned and asked me.

I shook my head and laughed. "I'm not even meant to be here. I was in hiding for a year, this was my only escape."

"Why were you hiding?"

"My bastard of an old man." I replied before walking ahead. I clenched my jaw in anger, the hatred returning and pumping through my veins. That was until I saw Jasper smirking at Octavia. I watched her jump off a ridge next to a river and laugh.

I ran forward to see where she went. Bending over to look into the river I smiled. The water looked pure and I could see the bottom: covered in pebbles and smooth stones. Everybody rushed to take their clothes off but I stayed still. The trees had gone quiet, the breeze I'd felt was gone.

"Octavia, get out the water." I said quickly. I couldn't see anything until Jasper grabbed my elbow and pointed to the far corner of the river.

"Don't be such a bore. Come on it'll be fun." She groaned at me.

"Octavia get out of the water now!" He shouted. She turned around and stepped back. A dark shadow swirled through the water towards her. My eyes widened and I ran forward, she reached out to the side just as the creature dove beneath the water. She was swept aside and I grabbed the boulder next to the water.

"Push this in! It'll distract it to let her go! Don't just fucking stare." I yelled at them all.

They hurried to push the heavy object into the water. Jasper threw his jacket off and dove in, I stared at him in fear as he grabbed Octavia and pulled her to the side. The creature looked snake like and it was swimming back towards us. From my estimate I gathered it was at least 9 feet long. The now red tainted water hid the creatures body like a camouflage.

"Quickly!" Clarke shouted to him, he coughed and spluttered against the current.

I reached out and pulled Octavia away from him, wrapping his jacket around her shoulders. Clarke tightened a strap above the bite mark to stop the blood. It didn't look too deep as Jasper gave a shaky laugh. I slapped his back.

"Well done bud."

He smiled at me and ran a hand through his wet hair.

"It's not too bad, so we can rest here for now." I said to Octavia. She nodded at me and sighed. "I'll stitch up this area tomorrow but the blood seems to have crusted over enough for one night. I'll get some antibiotics for you."

"How do you know so much about medicine?"

"It's not that much but when I was hiding. I hid in the medical bay, the guards were too frightened of blood to enter most of the time. So I helped a lot of people."

"Nobody turned you in?"

"Maybe some gentle persuasion was needed." I joked. "Here." I helped her hobble over to a comfy spot next to Jasper.

"Thank you." She said. I shrugged.

"No problem. Just don't strip down completely naked next time because I am not sorting out your lady parts if that creature goes for you again."

Jasper shot up. "I volunteer for that."

Octavia and I laughed and settled down into comfy positions for a probably very unsettling nights sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

Instead of walking to Mount Weather at first light like I'd expected us to, Finn and Jasper had other ideas. I shook my head in disbelief at them. Finn gripped a little tighter to the vine he'd pulled away and strung together himself from a nearby tree. Even Clarke had joined in with the excitement.

"Don't be a wimp." I shouted to him. He gaped at me and laughed.

Jasper gave him a little shove for support but Finn stayed nervously itching his feet against the ground. I watched as Jasper glanced at Octavia then took the vine from Finn. Looking at Octavia she gave me a triumphant smile, it was tiny but I saw it. She knew exactly how to play the boys and she loved it.

I smiled and clapped for him as he swung across.

"Damn! Jasper you badass." I shouted to him, he picked up a sign and flashed it up in th air.

"Mount Weather!" He cried. I laughed and stepped forward just as the spear plummeted into his chest.

We all froze, staring at Jasper's body. His eyes were snapped open, full of surprise. I grabbed the vine quickly and felt somebody pulling me back.

"No!" I shouted. "Jasper!" I cried to him. "Let me go!"

I struggled against Monty as he dragged me backwards for cover. I knew the spear had come from behind us and I became fearful suddenly.

Stumbling with the rest of the group, we all tripped behind a rock for cover. I felt Monty shaking; his best friend was dying directly in front of us. And we couldn't do anything about it.

"We need to get out of here." Finn told us. The urgency wasn't questioned.

"But what about Jaspe-" I started.

"We cannot cross that river, or we'll all end up like Jasper. We'll come back. I promise."

I backed away and started to run with everybody until I realized Monty wasn't there. "Where's Monty?" I panicked.

Octavia stopped and her eyes widened.

"Keep going. I'll catch up."

"But-"

"Go." I ordered. She nodded quickly and turned away as I did the same.

I ran back and found Monty with his eyes trained on Jasper's body. I shook Monty's shoulders. "Look at me. Don't look at him. Look at me."

He pulled his eyes away from Jasper and I almost faltered when I saw the tears threatening to spill over his eyes. I grabbed his hand and pulled him with me, at first he tripped over the tree roots but he began to pick up speed. Still clutching my hand, it was him pulling me along now.

I looked behind us and saw a dark shadow hop between the tree trunks. "Oh god. Monty run, they're coming."

He didn't reply but his feet moved faster until we were running along side Octavia and Clarke again. I released Monty's hand and tried to control my breathing. The euphoria of energy I'd felt due to fear was running out, my thighs ached but I carried on going.

All of our breathing was laboured and then Monty fell to the ground. We stopped and I picked up a skull. "Holy shit." I commented.

Clarke picked up another one. "What are they?"

"I- I think they're human."

Nobody had time to react as all of our heads snapped to the sound of Jasper's scream, he sounded pained.

"He's still alive." Clarke said. She ran off in the direction of his voice and we followed her loud footsteps. The adrenaline wasn't pumping through me anymore and I thought I honestly couldn't run further.

We clambered into one another as we stopped to stare down at the river where Jasper was lay moments ago. It was gone. They'd taken him.

"We need to go back to the drop ship. To warn the others." I said.

"You're right." Finn agreed with me. "They don't know what's out there and we need to save Jasper."

...

The camp was full of chaos when we came back. Shouting and chants echoed all around us. I ran into the clearing where Wells was on the floor with Murphy. I ran forward and pushed Wells to the side.

"What the fuck are you doing?" I shouted at Murphy. His upturned nose made it impossible to be scared of him even as he towered above my height.

"Do you want to take his place sweetheart?" He threatened back, his spat at the ground near my feet.

I was cut off from replying as Bellamy came walking in the middle of us. I looked up at him, seething with anger from Murphy. Wells stood behind me, his body heat radiating due to over working.

"What the hell is going on? Where's our food?" He demanded. He looked around and ran to Octavia who was clutching Monty.

"We were attacked." I told him.

"By what?"

"Not what. Who." Finn told him.

"What happened?" Wells coughed, his breathing was laboured.

"They attacked and they took Jasper." I told him quietly. I bit my lip and tried to keep my face straight whilst Murphy stayed trying to stare me down.

Clarke finally spoke up to everybody. "Everything we knew about the grounders is wrong. There are people here. Survivors. But that means we can survive."

The prisoners nodded at her, the facts were true. We could survive and everybody seemed determined to do so.

"If the grounders don't kill us off first." Finn said glumly.

I turned to look at Wells who's eye was bloodied slightly. Clarke came over to us and grabbed Well's wrist. "Where's your wristband?"

Wells motioned to Murphy who smirked. I wanted to rip his throat out.

"24 wristbands and counting." He told us.

"Life support is failing." Clarke told everybody. Their faces didn't seem bothered. They were too strung up in the freedom they finally had. I watched the dense forests for sign of movement, if they had followed us then an attack would be in motion right now. But there was nothing. It was as if the river was the only thing between survival and death. The river was a barrier. A border between territories.

I looked at back at Clarke as she finished her speech to everyone. She looked serious and I was sure the safety of her mother on the Ark meant everything to her.

"-you're killing us." She finished.

Bellamy looked pissed at Clarke and he walked forward, away from Octavia.

"I agree with Clarke, our people are dying up there because we're too blind." I told him.

"Don't listen to her." Bellamy started. "We're stronger, she's one of the privilaged. They don't get it. If they come down; she'll have it good. We'll be left to rot like before. We are not prisoners anymore." His rant was long and aggressive but my anger was growing.

Everybody cheered and started to disperse and I stepped forward and shoved Bellamy's chest. "Privileged? What is your definition of privileged."

"Don't get too strung up about it princess."

"You don't know jack shit." I told him.

Bellamy seemed unfazed by my outburst. It only angered me more.

"Kora, come on. We need to find Jasper." Wells grabbed my arm slightly and pulled me away.

"Rich bitches stick together right?" Bellamy joked. I shot him a glare and Wells shook his head, reminding me to stay quiet.

I picked up my dagger which I'd dropped earlier and headed away from them both. I couldn't stand being so close to somebody who was such an ass. So I busied myself, I entered the drop ship trying to find anything to use as a weapon. I found Clarke inside with a bundle of supplies.

"I'll meet you by Octavia outside." I told her. She nodded just as Wells stepped inside, I saw her visibly tense up but if Wells wanted to fix this then I guess it would be best to leave her alone with him. I walked out with an antiseptic wipe which I had stolen from the medical bay this morning and trod lightly on the ground towards Octavia where her leg was propped out to open the wound.

Bellamy was crouched in front of his sister wiping the bite with a damp cloth. I swallowed my burning hatred and sat down next to him.

"What are you doing?" He questioned.

"The wound will get infected." I snapped.

He stayed silent and I saw Octavia smirk.

"This is going to sting slightly." I warned her. She nodded in reply.

I gingerly patted the wipe along the open cut. She hissed at me but I carried on. The wipe was completely soaked with blood by the time I'd finished and I wrapped the fresh bandage around her leg. She went to stand up and Bellamy stopped her.

"Take it easy."

Clarke came up behind us and turned her attention to Bellamy. "I hear you have a gun."

He looked at her before pulling up his shirt to reveal one. I glanced away quickly, the flash of his bare v line was an awfully good sight.

His eyes switched from Octavia's face to mine quickly and he nodded at Clarke. "I'll join you then. Murphy with me."

Just as we were about to leave Bellamy turned to another prisoner and threatened him with the protection of his sister then followed us as we headed back into the forest. I heard Octavia protest and I saw the prisoner roll his eyes at Bellamy's back. He was going to be in such deep shit.

I felt the uncomfortable prescence of Murphy as he tagged along beside Bellamy. So I stayed close to Wells and Clarke. Trudging through the dense leaves, I swiftly turned on my heel as Murphy grabbed my elbow and stared at my wristband.

"Everything would be so much easier if we just got rid of this sweetheart." He smirked. I pulled my arm out of his grasp.

"Jasper could be dying right now. Stop fucking around."

"Sweetheart don't swear." He cooed.

He was about to continue but Finn came trudging in behind Bellamy. I smiled and sighed in relief. Even though he was a complete moron, he was an alright guy. Well, from what I've found.

"Let's keep moving guys. No need to oggle me." He smiled, Clarke seemed amused but her face was still cold and hardened. So we continued our hike whilst Finn spoke to us about his illegal adventures aboard the Ark. I listened intently, he had so much freedom and not once was he caught. It amazed me and I found myself laughing with his lame jokes.

For once Clarke and Wells were speaking normally to one another. He seemed delighted and not once faltered from talking to her. I slowed down and stayed by myself for a while as everybody either walked ahead or behind: focusing on my feet and the colors of the forest. I heard splashing and saw Finn pull Clarke into the water. I smiled at the sight. At least some of us were having fun.

Hiking around the edge of the waterfall I heard Finn shout up at me to come down and I shook my head laughing. "No way spacewalker."

"You're already wet for me. So there's no loss."

I burst out laughing. "I can think of somebody else in that position." I said wiggling my eyebrows in the direction of Clarke. She shook her head and Finn dived at her under the water.

Like a married couple they swam around the tiny pool and laughed as if it was the funniest thing in the world. I jumped down on the other side of the waterfall, on the pebbles, and felt a splash of water seep through my clothes.

I span around to see Bellamy stood in the river with a huge smirk on his face.

"I will drown you myself." I told him.

He laughed and walked passed me. I followed him and looked at what he was staring at on the floor. Dipping his fingers in it, I saw it was blood.

"Jasper's?" I asked.

He nodded. "It seems like it."

He pushed himself off the ground in a fluent motion and Finn ran out of the water and waved for us to go over to him. I followed his order and my mouth dropped open in shock at the amount of blood littering the leaves in front of us.

"They dragged him." Clarke said.

I scooped up the leaves and pushed them aside so I could crawl through.

"This way." I told them swiftly. Bending underneath large trunks and over the dead ones I finally came to a clearing. I gasped in happiness and rushed forward to Jasper. His body was hanging as if he were a sacrifice on a dead tree. I stumbled and almost cried out to scream as I felt the earth plummet away from my feet.

A hand clutched tightly to my own. I looked down to see nothing except for a dark tunnel into a chasm below my dangling feet.

"I got you." Bellamy strained. I looked up at him as his hand held mine. I clutched onto his hand tighter, afraid of his grip slipping. My heart plummeted to my feet as started to panic but Bellamy kept his grip on my hand, it envoloped the whole of it. To calm myself I just stared at his face, I traced the bead of sweat as it fell across his tanned forehead and down his cheek. His dark lips were parted as he concentrated on holding me, not letting me fall.

My body got hoisted upwards as the group helped Bellamy drag me out of the hole. I fell on my front and nearly kissed the ground beneath my body. Bellamy let go of my hand and studied the hole which I'd fallen down.

"It's a trap. We're the ones being hunted. Jasper's the bait."

Clarke took a step back as she studied his words. I picked myself off the ground and jumped over the deep hole. My feet were shaking in my boots still but if we were being hunted then Jasper had to be safe.

I reached up to cradle Jasper's face, it was bloodied with a deep cut over the eyebrow. I whispered his name slowly, hoping he'd wake. "Jasper, wake up."

He lifted his eyes slowly, as if the movement itself caused him pain. I looked down at his bare chest which was covered in blood too, but the wound where the spear had struck him had been covered with a green moss.

"Clarke." I called behind me. "Look, it's a type of natural bandage and antisceptic."

She looked on from her spot next to Murphy and nodded. "We need to find out what that stuff is. Can you see anything which looks like it?"

I looked over the branches and shook my head. "No, but we need to get Jasper to the drop ship."

"Wait, why would they do that to the wound if they want him to die?" Wells questioned.

I sighed. "The reason he is alive is because, like Bellamy said, we're the bait. If Jasper were dead we wouldn't of come. Whoever they are, they're smart."

"Kora, we need vines to get him down." Finn walked below my feet and looked up, I nodded down to him.

"You." Finn pointed to Murphy. "Help me."

They climbed up next to me with handfuls of vines between their fingers. I helped wrap them around his body so his chest wouldn't stretch the wound.

At the sound of twigs snapping, I turned around in alarm. "Grounders?" I asked nobody in particular.

Bellamy stepped back and my eyes shot to the dark shadow between the trees. "Bellamy get your gun out." I said quickly, he scrambled to find it but it wasn't there.

The shadow ran out and I gasped, almost slipping out the tree. It was a large panther, from what I'd learnt on the Ark these creatures was carnivorous and I obviously Bellamy was it's prey.

Well started shooting in it's direction, over and over. Clarke was staring at him in shock as a bullet punctured the panthers side, it carried on running and dived into a tangle of bushed next to Bellamy's feet.

The silence was deadly, our heavy breathing was full of fear. The creature suddenly jumped from Bellamy's side and lunged towards him; towering meters above his head.

We all flinched at the loud sound of a bullet shooting out of the gun in Wells hand and into the Panther. The creature fell to the ground, still moving slightly before it stilled.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and turned away as Bellamy's gaze wandered up to mine. His strong jawline was jutted out as he clenched the muscle. His chest moved quickly as he tried to even his breathing. "You alright?" I asked.

He nodded quickly and took the gun from Wells before snapping at him. "She notices you now." He said.

Wells and Clarke glanced at each other as I helped Finn and Murphy pull Jasper down safely and we headed back to camp. I stretched my hand and flexed my fingers; Bellamy's hand was huge compared to mine.


	5. Chapter 5

Gently patting a damp cloth on Jasper's chest, I cringed at the sound of Jasper's whimpers. Clarke came up to me and looked down at his sweat ridden body. Her blonde hair swished next to my shoulder and her bright blue eyes seemed dull with no trace of happiness. Jasper's chest was caked in dry blood and crusting sweat. His fingernails filthy with mud and worn away as he continued to scratch them long the table, trying to focus on something other than pain.

"How's he doing this morning?" She asked, checking the wound.

"There's no improvement." I said solemnly.

"I have an idea."

I nodded at her then felt Jasper's forehead to check his temperature, it was rising. He groaned when he tried to shuffle into a better position. I touch his cheek lightly.

"You're going to be okay." I whispered. I heard the clambering of boots and I saw Monty climbing up the ladders. With the hatch door open I heard people talking about how unlikely Jasper was going to survive. I shook my head in disbelief.

"Fuck them Monty." I said through gritted teeth, he stayed silent and I knew he couldn't bare to come any closer to his best friend's pale body.

Finn came into the room and crouched at the end of Jasper's body. I tilted my head when I realised what Clarke was doing. "Cauterize it. That's brilliant." I told her, she gave a small smile but it faded when Wells came up to us. He looked tired but I didn't comment.

Octavia sat next to me. "You're killing him." She snapped.

"I was trapped in the medical bay for nearly a year and her mother is a doctor, we know what we're doing." I counteracted. She quietened.

"Right hold him down." I ordered Finn. He grabbed his legs and held them in a firm grip.

I hushed Jasper as a noise of extreme pain fell from his lips. Holding his hand I shuddered at the feeling of cold sweat. I wasn't disgusted, it was the fact that the cold sweat meant his body was trying to flush out the toxins but the amount pouring from his body meant it wasn't working.

Jasper's grip tightened on my hand and he cried out when Clarke pressed the steaming, red hot knife to his wound. His weeping was loud enough for everybody in the camp to hear. That was confirmed when Bellamy clambered loudly onto the level.

"You can't save him." He sighed at us.

I turned and shot him a glare. "We can try."

"You're deluded. He's been like this for three days. He's going to die."

"Back off Bellamy. Everybody matters down here."

"Look at him, we all know there's no hope."

I bit my lip and wiped Jasper's forehead again. "Get out you jackass."

I heard his foot tap against the metal floor but I stayed staring at Jasper's stone dead face.

"Fine. If he's not better by tomorrow: I'll him myself." His deep voice rattled my chest.

"You dare lay a finger on him it'll be your body they'll be burying in the ground next." I hissed, he looked slightly taken aback but he quickly masked it

He bought his face right up to mine. "Don't make threats you don't intend to keep princess." He spat and I heard him stomp away angrily.

I laughed awkwardly when the trap door slammed shut and Octavia squeezed Monty's hand.

"What a self-absorbed asshole." Monty huffed, I cracked a smile at him and stepped back.

"Do you need anything?" I suggested helpfully.

Clarke shook her head at me. "I just need to remove the dead skin."

"I haven't washed today so I'll be back in a bit. Holla for me if something changes."

The atmosphere was choking me, the stench of burnt flesh made me want to gag and I needed to get rid of the blood tattooed on my hands.

Clarke nodded at me. "Will do." She said. "I'm going out the camp later to find some of the moss which helped heal this. So can you just look over him? Make sure Bellamy doesn't do anything?"

I hoisted open the trap door and looked up only to see her back to me. "Sure thing." I told her.

Jumping down I put down my leather jacket and wiped my forehead with the back of my hand realizing how hot it was up there. My dark green tank had a tiny hole across the seam at the bottom so I made a mental note to ask Bellamy about spare clothing.

I walked along the familiar woodland path where we'd travelled before to find Jasper and kept tilting my head for any sign of a grounder. My skin prickled in high alert but I pushed on wards with a small water canteen wrapped between my fingers. I looked up into the trees and studied the different shades of brown bark and how they blended into each undertone. The bark was rough against my outstretched left hand and the trees were far too tall to reach the leaves.

I hoisted myself onto a fallen tree and balanced as I tried to walk directly down the middle, the moss had overgrown on it and little purple buds were peeking through the cracks in the dying wood.

I hopped down and sprinted as soon as I heard the sound of running fresh water. My eyes landed on the familiar waterfall and my mouth quirked into a tiny smile at the site of it. Except for the search party that went looking for Jasper, nobody knew about the water here so I was more likely to wash in privacy.

I froze dead in my tracks when I saw another figure underneath the rushing water. The tanned outline rippled as the water poured over their head. I squinted and saw the outline was male, the broadened shoulders arched as he allowed the luke warm water to cover his entire body. I almost gagged when he turned around; fucking Bellamy Blake. I thanked the Gods he wasn't completely naked. His boxers served as a cover up.

He shook his head underneath the water kind of like a dog and his hair flicked water against the rocks. I rolled my eyes at him. I watched his hands rake against his face as he scrubbed the mud from his skin and my eyes fell to his chest which was glistening with water dew drops, the dark skin was moulded into hard muscle. His v line was undeniably visible as he leaned his head back into the water, causing his adam's apple to show. His mouth open as he ran his hands through his wet hair.

What the fuck am I doing?

I shook my head in my own stupidity for watching him wash. Even though it was quite enjoyable it was insanely creepy so I took a deep breath and crawled down the crooked crumbling boulders and rock face. I ignored Bellamy and crouched down next to the water, dipping my empty water canteen in. His clothes were a couple of feet away from me and I considered throwing them in the water.

"Enjoying the view were we?" I heard him cockily ask. I continued to fill my bottle up and scoffed.

"Hardly."

"You seemed pretty content up there." He laughed. I looked at him and saw he had his back to me.

"I was deciding whether to throw a rock at your head, hopefully you would've got concussion and drowned." I snapped at him.

"Harsh princess." He said as he glanced at me, crouched on the ground next to the clear pool of water.

"Are you finished lathering in your own self righteousness or am I aloud to wash now?" Tying the water canteen lid: I looked at him again. Keeping my eyes trained on his face.

"You're not still pissed about Jasper are you?" He huffed.

I brushed my slightly muddy hands on my skinny frayed jeans and cross my arms. "You have no right to kill him. He will get better."

Whilst replying, Bellamy got out from under the water and walked over to his clothes. "I'm protecting the group, we don't have time to waste on the weak." He dropped his head as he shoved his pants on. His boxers were clinging tightly to everything,_literally everything_, they were covering and I swallowed hard; stopping the heat crawling into my lower abdomen.

"Jasper isn't weak. He was stabbed, how do you think you would've done if it were you?"

"I'm not stupid enough to get hurt by the grounders." He said as he pulled his boots onto his feet.

"When you do don't come crying to me. I'm positive Clarke thinks you're an ass as well so we'll happily watch you suffer."

He shook his head and growled slightly at me. "You should treat me with a little more respect Kora."

Rolling my eyes, I ran a hand through my hair. "The last man who said that to me ended up drowning in their own blood."

"How intimidating." The sarcasm dripped from his dark lips.

"Screw you." I spat. I decided that it would be easier to wash later so I turned away from him and climbed back up the rocks to the forest. I felt a splash of cold water hit my back.

"I thought you were going to wash?" Bellamy laughed.

"I'd rather do it when you're not around." I snarled. As I turned to look at him, another wave hit my front and I gasped at the feeling of the water drenching my tank and jeans.

"Why the hell did you do that?" I asked with venom swirling in my words.

"Helping you wash." He spread his arms out as if it was the most obvious answer in the world. I glanced at his shirt which had been discarded on the dry ground. His muscles twisted in his biceps.

"I'm soaked Bellamy, how am I meant to go into camp like this?"

"Lighten up would you? You're just like Clarke."

"Wh-what? I am nothing like Clarke."

"You are. You can't take a joke."

"Really?" I tested.

He shrugged and without warning I shoved his whole body into the pool beneath the water. His body dunked beneath the water and I actually laughed at the site of him; sputtering and coughing up the water. He sat, learning on his elbows in the water and look up at me between the damp hair which had fallen down onto his forehead.

I held my stomach and bent over trying to hold in my giggles. The situation was completely insane and I bloody loved it.

"So that's how you play?" He scoffed.

I wiped my eyes of the tear which fell from it and placed my hand on my hip. "What? Can't you take a joke-"

I screamed, cutting off my sentence as Bellamy grabbed my waist and threw me into the water. The water flooded my nose and I choked on it, pulling my head back up to the surface.

I sat gobsmacked in the water and glared at Bellamy as he stood laughing next to me.

"You are so dead." I laughed at him as I grabbed his leg and yanked him down. His arms flailed madly around his head for a second before his whole body came crashing down into the water.

Bellamy swerved his whole body out of the water and dived into mine. I didn't have time to yell out but I felt his knees dig into my sides.

I placed my hands flat out on his chest, trying to calm my breathing as I laughed. We were in the shallow area of the pool beneath the waterfall. My head resting on the wet pebbles whilst my feet were submerged.

Bellamy's laughter died down and water dripped from his hair and slid down his jawline. His lips were parted slightly and I stopped giggling underneath him as soon as I realised his hips were straddling me.

Both hands rested on either side of my head, quite intimately, and I realised how much I craved human touch. Wanting to have your skin feel someone else's. I saw his eyes watching me intently as if judging what to do next based on my actions.

Moving my hands from his marbled bare chest and slid them over the skin around the back of his neck. My fingers twiddled with the baby hairs and he lowered his head slightly so our noses were almost touching.

I completely forgot about how much of a self absorbed asshole he was and I felt myself lifting slightly from the ground.

"Kora! Did you scream?" I heard a familiar voice shouting through the forest behind us. Bellamy pushed himself off my body quickly and picked up his shirt, throwing it over his wet body.

I swallowed and didn't make eye contact with Bellamy as Wells jumped down next to me.

"Are you okay?" He asked hurriedly.

I nodded and lied. "I'm fine, just tripped."

"Why are your clothes soaking?"

"I tripped into the water." Shrugging I started to walk away.

"Uhm. O-okay then." Wells' voice told me he didn't believe me at all. He didn't press it any further.

"Are you going with Bellamy to find the two missing kids or to find the moss used on Jasper?" Wells asked me as we walked through the forest. My clothes were soaked through, I felt awkwardly exposed and hated the feel of wet cotton against my skin. I heard Bellamy trudging behind us, he hadn't said a word.

"I'm staying with Jasper. If anything changes then I have to be there."

As we entered camp, a couple boys turned to the sight of a girl with her clothes stuck to every crevice of her body. I jogged into the drop ship quickly and wrung my wet hair out: leaving it to dry naturally. There wasn't really another way.

The clamber of boots made me turn around to the entrance of the drop ship and I saw Bellamy.

"If Jasper isn't better by tomorrow morning, I will come in here and slit his throat." He warned.

I ignored him and climbed the steel ladders to the next floor.


	6. Chapter 6

Jasper had fallen asleep over an hour ago, his whimpers had quietened as I stroked his slightly damp hair. Looking down at his calm face I realized how much I'd come to care for people I'd never been associated with in my life on the Ark.

I felt my stomach rumble and I took a glance at Jasper before standing up and removing my hand. Clarke had taken Wells and Finn to go looking for the plant Jasper had attached to his chest so I took the chance and left Jasper, feeling he would be okay for just a couple minutes. I'd heard from camp gossip that they'd caught some wild boar and being a forced vegetarian was restricting to my diet; like everybody else.

I climbed down the ladder and jogged lightly up the roasting fire in the middle of camp. A group of boys were huddled around a plate with cooked strips of meat on it. My mouth watered as the aroma of fresh food floated in the air.

I wandered up to them and the youngest one, no more than at least 15, held his hand out and I grabbed the food. I was starving and hadn't eaten in two days due to being unable to leave Jasper's side. As the food was about to touch the tip of my tongue a rough hand pushed my shoulder back and I was shoved so I was facing the figure in front of me.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Murphy spat down at me.

"Picking flowers." I commented sarcastically. "What the hell does it look like I'm doing? I'm eating."

"The price for food is your wristband." He hissed and threw the strip of food away from me I opened my mouth to protest but he grabbed my wrist instead.

"Let go of me you fucking asshole." I tried shoving his body off my arm but it ended up in my own body being thrown to the ground. The burning fire in front of me spat out roasting embers.

"Let's make it a little more convincing shall we?" Murphy questioned whilst he dug his nails into my arms. I felt another hand push against my neck so my face was inches from the fire. My breathing became laboured and I felt the hairs on my arms prick up in fear. The raging heat made my forehead sweat despite being in a tank top.

A lick of fire burst out causing a burning red stick to fall from the pile. It hit the back of my hand and I screamed as in burned into the skin. It must've scared Murphy at my outburst as his weight seemed to have been thrown off my body, I stumbled to get up and my boots slid a couple times as I scrambled into a safer spot.

I could hear the grunt of two voices shouting then a loud crack of bone attacking bone, my jeans were covered in dry dirt from where I'd fell trying to get away.

I cradled my hand in my lap and scrunched my eyes together as the flesh prickled with spots of intense heat. The pain made me want to sit down and sob but I refused to let the tears spill over my eyes.

My arm started to throb upwards from the point of the burn. Two hands came up to my face and my eyeline was pulled up to meet Bellamy. I winced and bit down harshly on my lip when I realized what he was doing.

A bottle of cold water splashed onto the back of my hand and I gasped in pain. It then subsided slightly and the fresh burn felt slightly cooler. I watched Bellamy intently as Octavia ran over with a white bandage from the precious supply of little medical supplies we had left. His dirtied fingers ran over the skin of my palm as he wrapped the bandage around my hand. The action was so gentle despite his shaking hands which were still pumped with adrenaline from hurting Murphy, I felt no sorrow for him but the tang of sadness for Bellamy was there. Only tiny but I felt it. His eyes glanced at the wristband a couple of times.

"I'm not taking it off." I told him. Even with the stinging feeling in my hand, I wasn't going to become a bimbo and give in.

He didn't reply and I knew that angered him. He was the one who enforced all this in the first place.

Octavia smiled awkwardly at me and turned to look one last time at Murphy who was sat on a dead tree stump, holding a bloodied cloth to his bleeding mouth.

Bellamy stood up after securely tying the bandage and picked up his jacket whilst walking to the gates in and out of the camp.

I ran after him and touched his bare arm. He swiftly turned and a bored expression fell onto his face.

"Thank you for doing that." I said quietly, I felt like he didn't really enjoy my company that much so I wanted to get back to Jasper as soon as possible.

Bellamy didn't reply for a while, his dark eyes loomed into mine. His mouth opened to say something but he snapped it shut and turned away. Gathering a couple of others, they walked out of the camp and Bellamy didn't look back.

.

Octavia sat quite solemnly next to Jasper when I climbed back up to him. Her hair was dirty with mud and dry blood but she didn't seem to care.

I wandered up to them both and pressed a new damp cloth to Jasper's forehead.

"What's up?" I asked her whilst wiping my hands on my jeans. She looked up at me and threw her head down in her hands.

"Bellamy." She replied bluntly.

_Same babe. _I thought. "Just being an over-protective brother? Or-"

"Yes! I don't have any freedom at all. God what he did to Atom after he found us."

I was completely confused at this point but kept it cool. "What happened?"

"I had sex with Atom and Bellamy found us like kissing and he tied him up into a tree." She sighed.

"I saw Atom go with Bellamy earlier to look for the teenagers, I'm sure he's fine."

"He won't even look at me."

I winced at the pain in her voice. Honestly, I felt sorry for her. Her actions were constantly monitored and she just wanted to become independent.

"Pardon me but Bellamy is a complete ass-"

She cracked and smile and shrugged in agreement.

"-Give him a couple of weeks and he'll learn that you've got to get out and start living. If he doesn't then I'll punch him for you." I joked.

Jasper stirred and I rushed to sit down next to him, Octavia straightened herself up and paid more attention to his once again sleeping form. Her dark hair was a lot like Bellamy's as well as her clear complexion.

"So?" I asked.

"What?" Octavia replied.

"How was he? You know Atom?"

"Atom? Oh my god." She blushed and started laughing lightly. "It was amazing, I've never had so much fun in my life. To be honest Kora, I've never felt like this about someone."

I laughed at her and stopped suddenly when a loud commotion started on the bottom level. We ran to the ladders and climbed down to find Monty coughing violently. I placed a hand on his back and bent down to see his face. "What's happening?" I asked frantically as more poeple ran inside.

Three girls ran in carrying a boy who seemed to be unconscious. They placed him on a metal sheet and opened his shirt to reveal marks where the skin seemed to be bubbling.

My head snapped to the door where a yellow mist seemed to be approaching from the edge of the forest. "Somebody close the door!" I shouted. A couple of stragglers hoisted it close, waiting a couple of seconds to check if anyone was left outside.

My water canteen was still full so I grabbed it and damped a towel. One of the girls was shaking and I touched her shoulder.

"You okay?" I asked kindly.

She nodded and pointed to the boy on the metal sheet in front of her. I grabbed her hand and placed the damp towel in it. "Here." I showed her to the wounds which had ceased burning. "Hold the towel down on the wound for me. I'll be right back."

She nodded again and her eyes widened as she slowly pressed it to the boys chest, I watched his mouth flip open and he gasped. The girl 'sshh'ed him and he reached out to grab her hand for support. I swallowed thickly and turned away to help others.

Octavia's voice was laced with desperation as she pleaded to Monty about Bellamy being outside, I froze and ran up to Monty.

"Where's Wells?" I asked quickly.

"H-he went with Bellamy."

Octavia touched my elbow. "Bellamy's with him. They have to be okay." She turned to Monty again. "Right?"

All he could do was sigh and head back up to Jasper.

He then awoke a couple of hours later and the cut seemed to have gotten worse. I growled angrily and shoved my metal chair away from him.

"We need that plant. I am not going to let him-"

My voice was cut off my Monty as he sprinted up the ladders. "Murphy! Murphy's gonna kill Jasper!"

I hadn't slept in days but the adrenaline started to kick in nonetheless. Octavia and I ran towards to trap door just as he was about to climb up. She kicked the side of his head and we slammed it shut. I exchanged a look with her and our emotions were mirrored with anger and fear.

The trap door jolted over and over as Murphy tried to battle his way up to us. Octavia shoved a metal pole across a slot on top of the trap door and all movements stopped. I sighed and hit the floor above Murphy's head so the clang echoed around downstairs.

. . .

After spending the night frightened that Murphy would some how make it up to Jasper, the bags under my eyes must've been horrendous. Monty snored next to his best friend and Octavia seemed to have had a restless night too. The yellow fog had cleared and thankfully nobody had been too seriously injured.

Strolling through camp, it was just after the sun had gone down, the sound of people talking loudly got my attention and I ran towards the hoard of people surrounding something on the floor. Octavia followed swiftly behind me.

Clarke stopped me. "I've got to boil the water for Jasper's medicine."

"Okay, I'll be right up just let me-"

"You probably shouldn't go over there Kora." She warned.

I gave her a confused look but ignored her. "I just want to see."

Clarke turned away and ran inside the drop ship with Finn.

I wandered over to the group and pushed myself forward. Bellamy's face was lowered unnaturally as if he were ashamed of himself.

His head shot up to the sound of his sister. He tried to feebly stop her from getting through to see what everybody was fussing over but my suspicions were confirmed when she lowered herself to the ground and lifted the dirty blanket off Atom's face.

A queasy feeling entered my stomach at the sight. Boils and lumps of burnt flesh lingered on his uncovered neck and arms. I recognized the slice in his neck and wondered who had put him out o his misery.

Octavia's hand shook over Atom's body and her face was smeared with tears. I glanced at Bellamy who looked distressed to see his sister so weak.

"There's nothing I could do-" He started.

"Don't." Octavia snapped. She hoisted the cover back over Atom's face and pushed Bellamy away when he tried to reach for her.

I stood standing in the same place a couple of meters away from Bellamy. Murphy came over to him and Bellamy asked about Jasper's condition.

"I tried to take him out but psycho princess and your psycho sister-"

The whole camp froze when Bellamy grabbed Murphy's collar and pushed his backward. "What?" He shouted. "What the fuck did you say?" He screamed in Murphy's face.

Murphy audibly swallowed against Bellamy's knuckles at his throat. "Kora and your sister." He tried to maintain a low voice but the intimidation from Bellamy was overbearing.

"That's what I thought." He sneered. I noticed Bellamy's voice was a lot deeper when he was pissed. His eyes looked away from Murphy and found mine. I held my breath and looked down at his bloodied knuckles, they hadn't been cleaned.

"I can clean your cuts for you if you want."

He seemed slightly dazed but nodded. Murphy pulled his jacket tighter around himself and stalked away.

The drop ship was warmer than the outside so I shrugged my jacket off. I motioned for Bellamy to sit down on the metal sheet which I'd used before.

He remained quiet and it was slightly worrying but I didn't comment as I grabbed a fresh bottle of water and a flannel. I grabbed an antiseptic wipe; one of the last rations.

Slowly, I picked up one of his bruised hands. The knuckles seemed to have been split open over and over again. They were bleeding.

I poured water onto the flannel. "This might sting." I told him. His pupils were enlarged as he watched me clean his hands. I scooted forward to get a better grip to get into all the areas. Which meant I was awkwardly stood between his legs. His hot breath fanned my neck. I could see the freckles littering his face, curving over the bridge of his nose and over his cheeks.

A earthy smell of both fresh mint and pine wafted from him, it smelt surprisingly good. Really good in fact.

I dabbed the cuts and he didn't wince one. I opened his palm completely so it was resting on top of my rather small hand. I wiped the anti-septic wipe over it and removed the dirt.

Stupidly I glanced at him, he just sat and watched me. His gaze was so intense.

_Is it hot in here? _

I dropped his hand but he used it to twirl a piece of my hair. It surprised me but I liked it when people played with my hair: which wasn't often at all, in fact never so I let him continue.

As I cleaned his other hand he finally spoke up.

"I'm sorry about the wristband thing." His voice cracked at the end.

I gently squeezed his hand. "It's okay."

"Have you eaten?"

I shook my head and patted his knuckle with the wipe again.

"I'll get you something to eat if you want."

That comment made me smile. "Chocolate?" I teased.

"Never in a billion years." He laughed.

"Surprise me then." I told him. Even though his knuckles were clean and had no trace of infection I pretended to keep cleaning them.

"I'm sorry about Jasper too. I shouldn't of acted that way towards him."

I bit my lip at these new apologies. "At least you know you're an ass."

He laughed again and I saw his adam's apple bob. It was pretty cute. "Yeah I know I am."

We stayed in a comfortable silence for a couple minutes.

I let go of his other hand and he held it up, brushing his soft thumb against my cheek. I stayed still and jumped when I heard Monty clambering down the ladders.

"Kora, we need you're help." He said quickly, urgently.

I nodded and threw the dirty medical equipment away. Bellamy rushed out the dropship door, leaving me standing alone on the bottom deck.


	7. Chapter 7

My head snapped up to the rustling of a sleeping bag. I gasped and ran over to Jasper. His scruffy head lifted up and he groaned.

"An angel!" He cried. "My hero has come to rescue me."

I started laughing and Finn joined in. Octavia ran to Jasper's other side and stroked the side of his head.

"Your highness." I bowed. He let out a weak laugh and looked around the room.

Clarke walked up the ladder and a smile erupted on her tired face. I looked down at Jasper, his eyelids were purple from the infection and blood drainage but other than that his signature dimple shone out.

I let out a smile in relief and Monty dropped his head into his hands.

I had to tell Wells he was okay and I patted Jasper's leg before turning to Clarke.

"Have any of you seen Wells? I should go and tell him."

Clarke shifted awkwardly at the mention of his name. Her actions towards him were overbearing and becoming irritating.

"What?" I asked, trying to hide my snap.

She didn't face me but her voice cracked. "D-did you know that it wasn't his fault?"

I gulped and my blood ran cold. She was talking about her father's death. He must've told her. "Yes." I admitted. "I wanted to tell you but-"

She cut me off. "You wanted to protect my mother. I know."

It was the absolute truth, Wells had forced me not to say anything and his obvious feelings for Clarke made him want to protect the love she had for Abby. I wasn't stupid, I knew he was completely in love with her. So much so that he accepted her hatred.

"I'm sorry Kora." She heaved, her now dark blue eyes glanced at me and I pulled her into a close hug. I wrapped my arms around her.

"It's not your fault. He just cares about you."

Pulling myself away, Clarke gave a small smile and let me go. "You should go find him and tell him about Jasper now."

I nodded and climbed down the ladder. Monty seemed confused but I shrugged at him and left them both to converse with Octavia and Finn over Jasper.

Trudging through the now wide awake I heard an animal howl in the distance. Everybody was awake by now and my eyes pricked at the sound of a moan.

I went over to a large tent and leaned further into it to see what was going on. A male hissed in pleasure and my hand clasped over my mouth. I stumbled back and almost gagged when I realized it was Bellamy's tent and that he was shagging the living daylights out of a girl. The only thing protecting my eyes was a thin piece of tent lining.

An odd pang hit my chest and the feeling annoyed me. I didn't understand what it was so I hurried away from the noises and out of the camp.

A young girl sprinted passed me and I was surprised at how small she was. Barely reaching passed the age of 13 I guessed.

Two guards glanced my way when I walked passed them both. They seemed too tired to ask where I was going and I felt sorry for them, they were probably on watch all last night too.

"Wells?" I called out. I walked a little further and tripped over a figure on the ground.

I fell onto my knees and cursed at the pain as it shot up my legs. I turned over and the shock made me scream. A hollow screech echoed from within my lungs.

My stomach dropped completely. Wells lay still against the slightly damp mud. His body left in a ridged position. My hands started to shake as I heard a clamber of feet running towards where I was.

I crawled over to his body, the blood ran down his shirt in a river all the way from his neck. Tears pricked in my eyes and I choked on my words.

"Oh god no Wells." I coughed in a whisper.

The others seemed to trip over each other as they started to gather around to see what had happened. The blood was pounding in my ears so loudly that I barely heard Bellamy shouting for everybody to move away. The reluctantly started to disperse, the few stragglers got pushed by Finn and Octavia.

An insane thought jumped into my head that he could still be alive and I shook his shoulders and started to shout. "Wells! Wells please. Open your eyes, please god open you eyes." The cry turned into a whimper and my head fell onto an area of his chest not covered in dry blood.

My hand gripped Wells shirt, my fists balled. My head hurt and I felt sick. He couldn't be dead I shouted to myself internally.

A pair of hands tugged at my shoulders and I shoved them away.

"Don't fucking touch me." I spat at Bellamy.

He stayed in the crouched position next to me. "Kora, we need to get him out of-"

"Shut up!" I cried. "You wanted him dead in the first place. You all did!"

His shoulders slumped down and he stood up abruptly at my outburst.

I came back up and anger filled every crack inside my body. I harshly stabbed his chest with my finger. "Don't you dare tell me what we should do." I pushed him back slightly but his strength barely made him budge.

He looked like he was in pain, with his eyes drawn in and opened wide.

"Go back to your fuck buddy." I hissed. He seemed taken aback and bought his hands up to try and calm me down.

"Leave me alone." I spat. My eyes were full of tears but none dropped over my eyes. I ran like coward away from Wells body and hid myself behind a box of opened crates. I bought my knees up to my chin and sobbed into my own body.

_Two Days Later._

After going alone to the waterfall to wash, I re-entered the camp. A couple of the other teenagers took their time to look my way. I stared at the ground beneath my boots and tried to ignore them.

It was pretty chilly so I bundled my jacket around myself tighter. I realized I must have spent a good couple of hours away from the camp. The death of Wells made me feel like there was a heavy weight sinking deeper and deeper into my chest but it had gotten lighter during the last few days.

I went outside the walls to where the dead were buried, and as I assumed, a freshly dug grave was positioned at the end. A white flower had been placed neatly in the middle.

I couldn't stand the thought of his body lying motionless beneath my feet so I turned away. I knew what would happen if I let myself get affected by it all. I'd end up dead, being completely reckless out in the forrest. So I did what I had to do and let him go.

As I walked through the camp again, I saw Jasper picking up a bundle of broken branches. I rushed over and stopped him.

"You're supposed to be resting." I warned.

He gave a small smile. "Bitch please. I'm doing great, I'm not even a sweaty mess anymore!"

I laughed and nervously picked at the fryng fabric of my top. It was a habit I'd picked up lately.

Jasper noticed the change in my posture. He scratched the back of his head. "I'm sorry about Wells Kora, he was a pretty decent guy."

"Yeah." I agreed. I swallowed a lump in my throat and took half the branches out of Jasper's hands. "I can help with this."

He blinked quickly at the sudden change of subject but shrugged and nodded. "Sure."

We threw them into the fire and I looked around at all the working campers. Everybody seemed to be doing something. I looked at Jasper who tensed when his eyes fell on the gate to go out the camp.

I soothingly placed a hand on his arm. "It's okay."

He snapped his head back at me. "What? Oh, it's nothing."

I arched a eyebrow at him, unconvinced.

"Really. I'm fine."

Just as he finished his sentence, Octavia strolled over. She gave me a sad smile and looked up at Jasper.

"Are we finally going to get you out of camp then?" She teased.

He gulped and I smirked at Octavia. He was still scared shitless.

I gave him a little shove. "_O_ will protect you Jasper. Go on."

Octavia's shoulders relaxed and it came to mind that she probably felt horrible about hating Wells and now she knew I was angry with her over those actions.

She tugged his arm and he complied completely. Jasper would gladly walk off a cliff if Octavia had asked him too.

Truthfully I wasn't surprised, she was absolutely gorgeous and a lot of boys seemed to drool at the site of her.

I couldn't help but smile as Octavia forcefully pushed Jasper into a crack on the side of one of the walls of the camp. My eyes darted to the entrance where Bellamy walked in with Murphy.

I hadn't spoken to Bellamy since I shouted at him: mainly because I felt too embarrassed at my outburst and the fact I'd called him out in front of his sister was even worse.

Crossing my arms across my chest I looked around, finding something to occupy myself with. A boy walked in front of me and stumbled, dropping the log he was struggling to carry.

I hurried forward and lifted it off him. "You okay?" I asked. He nodded and coughed, his throat sounded dry and scratchy. The other boy held the log up so it didn't fall down.

"Do you want some wa-" I started.

"Hey!" Murphy shouted. "Do you think the grounders are just gonna sit around and wait for us to finish the wall?" He snapped at the boy. I rolled my eyes in disgust at the mere sound of his snide voice.

"He just needs some water, get over yourself." I sighed.

Murphy ignored me and pointed a the same girl I saw days ago running back into camp. She looked tired and pretty miserable.

"Maybe we should get the little girl to do it for you?" Murphy's voice was laced with venom.

The boy's jaw clenched but he stayed low on the ground. "I just need some water, okay? Then I'll be fine."

Bellamy came over and I stood up. "Murphy." He said. "Get this guy some water."

Finally some decency.

"Hey. You got this?" He sounded serious as he spoke to the younger girl a couple of meters from us.

She went to pick it up and he stopped her, a smile etched over his face. The dimple was like a crater in his cheek. "I'm just kidding." He joked. She smiled back at him, the trust overwhelming her eyes.

He looked at me and I took it as a signal to pick up the other side. I shrugged off my jacket and hoisted the log over my shoulder. It was slightly muddy and some dirt brushed into my skin.

I walked over to the far wall and learned it against all the other logs. Wiping my hands on my jeans I looked up at Bellamy.

"That girl seems to like you." I said.

He considered it for a second. "Yeah, poor kid kept having nightmares."

"What did you do?"

"I told her slay her demons when we were trapped in the cave."

"That's sweet." I commented.

He shrugged and I walked next to him back to the camp.

"You know." Bellamy said calmly. "I never wanted Wells dead. I didn't know you two were that close."

I glanced at him and saw he was completely serious, his dark eyebrows were furrowed downward.

"He was my best friend but he was in love with Clarke."

"What do you mean by 'but'?"

"I guess his and Clarke's relationship always came first to ours. And yet even with all the shit she gave him about her dad he still loved her. She'll probably never know."

"Did you love him?"

"Apart from him being the closest thing to family. No I didn't have any feelings for Wells, he's a year younger than me anyway."

"How old are you then? I thought you were part of the proper 100 prisoners."

"I'm 19, and no I was never part of that, I was meant to be floated but I hid in the medical bay for over a year. God knows how." I joked.

Bellamy seemed surprised. "What was your crime?"

"I killed someone Bellamy."


	8. Chapter 8

Before he could reply Clarke ran up to us suddenly and held out a cloth, two fingers lay inside and my hand came to my mouth.

"Are those?" I started.

"Wells. They're his." Clarke finished for me.

I almost gagged as I walked into the main tent where Octavia and Jasper stood huddled around a knife on a table.

My hands shook as I picked up the knife. "This knife is one of ours."

Jasper's eye widened. "What do you mean?"

Bellamy crossed his arms in deep thought and interrupted Jasper. "Who else knows about this?"

"No one we bought it straight here." Octavia looked at her brother, at least they were on speaking terms now.

"It was made from the drop ship metal. Which means a grounder didn't kill Wells." I figured out.

"Who did?" Jasper's voice had a hint of fear.

"One of us did." My voice growled near the end of my sentence.

"So there's a murderer in the camp?"

Bellamy looked up at Jasper. "There's more than one murderer in this camp."

The comment made me look down at my boots and try to avoid his eye contact.

Clarke took the knife and made to exit out the tent. Bellamy stood in her way.

"Get out of my way Bellamy." She warned.

"Wait. You don't even know who did it."

"Yes I do." She pointed at the initials carved onto the inside crook of the knife. 'J.M'. John Murphy. I wanted to rip and shred every piece of skin from his body as soon as the knife flashed into my vision.

Before anyone said anything else I shoved Bellamy's body out of the way, surprising him and everyone else.

Clarke took the opportunity and ran passed Bellamy. Her feet stomped against the ground and she angrily shoved against Murphy's chest. His stumbled back.

"You son of a bitch." She spat.

"What princess?"

"You killed Wells."

At the mention of his name, I felt my palms become hot and my vision blurred for a second but I became distracted as more people started to gather around Clarke and Murphy.

"The grounders killed Wells."

"You hated him, we all heard you threaten to kill him before."

Her argument was correct and the blood ran from his face, he paled in front of the whole group. Soon everybody started whispering and I moved closer to Bellamy, he stuck his arm out slightly so I was closer. I didn't want any of this. Other prisoners started to rile up and shout things at Murphy. I felt sick to my stomach.

Murphy gave a pained smile. "This is ridiculous. I don't have to answer to you. I don't have to answer to anyone!" He demanded.

I stepped away from Bellamy as soon as he spoke up to him. "Come again?" He tested.

All eyes turned to him and Murphy froze for a split second. "Bellamy." He said pleadingly. "Look I'm telling you man. I didn't kill Wells. Princess hasn't said jack shit and she was the only one who could stand him."

I opened my mouth in shock and moved slightly further away from Murphy.

"Do you think I did it princess?"

"I don't know. It's your knife Murphy." I said quickly.

The boy I helped earlier hissed out in my direction. "I say we float him."

A chorus of people agreed. Murphy looked beyond pale now, like his stomach was churning itself inside out.

"Revenge isn't justice." I snapped at him. I realized my words were like a turning point and everybody went into a frenzy, shouting at Murphy and at each other.

"Revenge _is _justice." He fumed to everyone in return. "Float him." He began to chant. Everyone started to shout along with him and Murphy went to sprint forward.

Somebody tripped him and he went crashing to the floor.

"Don't!" I shouted. Bellamy's hand grabbed my wrist and yanked me out the way as a fist collided with Murphy's cheek. Kicks were thrown against Murphy's bloodied body and I shook Bellamy off me.

The others pushed him down a hill and swung a rope over a high branch. My stomach dropped. "Stop this." I said the the boy who started to the chant.

He pushed me back and and tripped into Bellamy's chest, he steadied me on my feet and kept me standing as everyone gathered around Murphy's body.

"No!" I shouted and I went up to Murphy's body as they wrapped the rope around his neck. He struggled against the bonds on his hands and the gag in his mouth.

I whipped around and pleaded to Bellamy, the tears were probably very obvious as they lay on my bottom lashes. "Stop this Bellamy, we are not on the Ark, don't kill our own."

People cheered and cried around us, the atmosphere was clouded with heat and sweat. Everybody was worked up and panicking.

"Bellamy should do it!" Someone roared. I looked around to the boy holding Murphy in place on a box. "Bellamy! Bellamy!" He ranted over and over.

I gulped and placed my hand on Bellamy's chest when he started to move forward. "No, don't Bell. Please don't do this."

"Kora, move out my way."

"No don't do this." I shouted over pounding of cries around us.

"This is on Clarke, move Kora." He growled low. He pushed me out the way and I hit his back, the last resort to stopping him.

Octavia looked completely helpless as Jasper held her back. The little girl stood watching with horror at the scene ahead.

"Bellamy stop!" I screamed at him. His foot kicked out at the crate the adrenaline pumping so furiously that he probably couldn't stop if he wanted to.

"Oh god Bell." My voice cracked as Murphy fell and the rope yanked his neck upward.

He span around from it and grabbed my shoulders. "I couldn't stop this if I tried Kora!" He boomed to me. "This is on you both princess."

Fear was running like a river through my veins at over a hundred miles an hour.

Bellamy let me go out of his painfully tight grip and looked over my shoulder at Finn who ran in, shouting to stop. "Charlotte get out of here now!" He loudly said to the young girl. She stayed put, her mouth opening and closing in shock like she wanted to speak but her lungs had collapsed.

Finn got held at knife point by a dark skinned boy as he threatened him to cut Murphy down.

"Just stop okay!" Charlotte cried. She pushed herself out of Octavia's grip. She silenced the whole group except for Murphy's strangled gurgles.

"Murphy didn't kill Wells! I did."

The information didn't register until Clarke swiped an axe and Murphy's crumpled body hit the floor. I stared at Charlotte. Everybody else stood around Murphy's body and I sprinted off behind a bush out of sight before throwing the contents of my stomach up. I coughed and choked out, leaning my hands on my knees. "Fuck." I cursed at myself.

I wiped my mouth and took a sip of water from the tiny pouch attached to my waist. Spitting out the water and washing my mouth out a couple times, I walked back to see Octavia pushing Charlotte into Bellamy's tent. I quickly ran after them and steadied my breathing.

I couldn't even look at her again. She was so tiny and fragile, how could she have killed someone twice her size?

"Why-" I choked out. "Why did you do it?"

Charlotte turned to Bellamy as he entered the tent and spoke to him instead. "I was just trying to slay my demons like you said."

My heart dropped. I pointed my finger at Bellamy. "This is all your fault, if you hadn't of opened your mouth Wells wouldn't be dead!"

"No. She misunderstood me." Bellamy said feebly, he turned to Charlotte and bent down slightly to get on her height level. "Charlotte that's not what I meant."

My eyes widened at the sound of Murphy shouting. "Bring the girl out now!"

Finn looked confused and slightly disorientated but I think he had a firm grasp of what was happening whilst Clarke looked ready to shoot someone. Couldn't blame her.

I stepped back from Bellamy and Charlotte reached a hand out to me. I flinched away from it.

"I'm sorry." She whispered, tears were in her eyes and I honestly felt sorry for her.

I turned to Bellamy and glanced at Clarke and Finn. "We can't kill her. She's just a child."

"Please don't let them hurt me." Charlotte pleaded.

Despite all the pain and the fact Wells' blood was on her hands, I touched her shoulder gently. "We won't."

Bellamy seemed completely lost and even his usual demeanour of authority had shrunk. "If you guys have any bright ideas, now would be a good time to spill them."

We all looked at one another, nobody knew what to do.

"So now you stay quiet?" He said to Finn.

"They're your boys out there." He snapped back. Finn leaned over the table, his head bent down. Like the rest of us he racked his brain about how we could get out of this.

There was no way out of it.

"Okay, Clarke, Finn take Charlotte out of here. Just take her somewhere safe." I said to them both.

I opened the tent flap and walked out. I shivered as all eyes landed on me. Murphy was stalking back and forth in front of a group of people ready to pounce on Charlotte like she was their next meal.

My eyes landed on Jasper and Octavia, Monty must still be in the drop ship. Their eyes glanced at Murphy as his rage increased.

Murphy walked towards me and I saw the marks on his neck and the blood that poured from his head.

"Well, if it isn't little princess." He remarked. "Sent the bitch out have we?" He shouted towards the tent.

Bellamy came out and Murphy came right up into his face. "Glad you could join us."

"Cool It down and back off." He said calmly, his fists were clenched nonetheless.

"Or what?" He tested. "What are you gonna do Bellamy, hang me? Before I do at least let me get a taste of princess. I mean she does look delicious doesn't she?"

"You little fuck-"

Bellamy's fist slammed into Murphy's jaw, the crunch was sickening. Murphy stumbled back and fell to the floor.

Just as Bellamy went in to finish Murphy off: I placed my hand on his raised fist. "Leave it Bellamy. He's not worth it." I said softly.

Beneath my hand his fingers un-clenched and loosened. He dropped his hand and stepped back as Murphy stood up.

"You know who else isn't worth it? That little bitch in there, why did you seem so eager to kill me off Bellamy even when I was innocent."

Through a hard jaw Bellamy gritted. "I was going to give the people what that wanted. Which is your body beneath the ground."

"You're all cowards!" Murphy screamed at the huddle of people behind him,

I wasn't surprised when Bellamy started shouting. "It's over Murphy."

"Fine." He sighed. "Whatever you say boss."

He seemed to give up too easily but I started to walk back to the tent nonetheless. I almost screamed when someone grabbed my shoulders and pushed me to the ground. I looked around to see a gang of Murphy's followers run into the tent then I saw Bellamy's body on the ground.

Octavia away from the hoard of prisoners and over to her brother. I crawled over to them both and turned Bellamy over, he groaned and hoisted him off the ground.

"Come on, they're hunting down Charlotte." I said hurriedly.

He nodded and we took off sprinting into the forest following Murphy's shouts.

.

My heart was pounding and my head was spinning as we entered a clearing. Bellamy ran in a different direction to me and Octavia and I prayed he was there.

I didn't have time to react when a rough hand grabbed my neck and pressed me against their body. Flaming torches illuminated the area and I looked over at Bellamy who had his hand in front of Charlotte.

"I am sick of following your orders." Murphy spat at the ground.

I lifted my neck up, trying to get away when a sharp blade touched the skin.

"Wait no don't" Bellamy started.

Murphy held up a finger in front of me to silence him. "I will slit her throat." The venom dripping between his teeth was disgusting but I was too pre-occupied in the feeling of cold metal against my neck.

Charlotte started to plead to Murphy. "Don't please. Don't hurt her."

"Don't hurt her?" He questioned. "Okay, I'll make a deal. You come with me right now and I'll let her go."

"Don't move Charlotte." I said quickly.

Murphy other hand came up to the side of my side and moved the hair away, exposing more skin. I felt his breath against my ear and I squeezed my eyes shut at the distasteful sensation.

Charlotte started to fight against Bellamy, she screamed at him to let her go.

"Charlotte don't to it. Please." I choked. Her life was worth saving, she was so young.

"You don't understand. I have to. Before any of you get hurt." She explained, a sad smiled ghosted over her face.

Clarke stepped forward to ask what she meant before I watched Charlotte turn away and sprint off the cliff. Her body suspended for a second before she dropped.

Murphy grip loosened slightly but not enough for me to get away. "No, oh god no." I cried on the spot instead. Clarke crouched next to Bellamy and started to break into weak sobs.

The knife pressed slightly into my skin and I gasped, throwing my head back putting as much space as possible between me and the weapon.

Suddenly Bellamy riled up, he stood up to full height and tightened his fist. Murphy let go and I fell to the ground, watching the scene unfold.

A growl erupted from Bellamy's throat as he pushed Murphy down. His fist collided over and over again with the flesh. Cracking open new wounds, and splitting old ones. "Bellamy stop!" I cried.

He kept going though, a grunt passing his lips every time a punch was thrown down. Everybody was in dead silence, too stunned to say or move.

"Stop it. Bell please." I coughed on the end of my plea and it turned into a whisper.

Finn snapped out of his trance next to me and hoisted Bellamy off Murphy's now bloody and swelling body.

"Get off me." Bellamy shouted. "He deserves to die."

I couldn't speak but Clarke did the job for me and stood in front of Murphy's body. "No. We don't decide who lives and dies."

My neck stung and I bought my hand up to feel the red hot blood. The cut wasn't deep but the blade was thick.

Bellamy looked like he was about to completely lose it, with his breathing laboured and uncovered neck soaked in sweat.

"So what then? What do we do with him now?" Bellamy said exasperated.

"W-we banish him."

I pushed myself off the ground and leaned against a tree next to Finn. My head was pounding so much it hurt to even try to focus on one thing.

If I wasn't even in this fucked up situation I would've thought Bellamy's strained voice was attractive and a pretty big turn on but I was so it didn't occur to me at all.

"Don't you ever come back." Bellamy warned Murphy before throwing his body back down again.

He didn't look at any of us as he walked away into the forest alone. I glanced at Clarke who took a final stare at Murphy's beaten body.

"Bell!" I cried out into the forest. I stumbled over a tree root and looked up into the dark sky. There were no stars or constellations. Just darkness and no sign of Bellamy.

I could faintly hear the chatter of the group behind me and in front when I entered the gate of the camp. The fire wasn't roaring like usual, it was dim and faint.

My eyes felt sore and starved of sleep when I entered the drop ship. Monty was working away at the wristband and by the look we shared I knew he had just found out tonight's events.

He pointed to one of the spare beds in the corner and my mouth dropped open at the sight. Bellamy lay with his mouth agape and his snores lightly littering the air around us. I shook my head at how he even managed to fall asleep so quickly.

Grabbing a blanket I yanked it over his body and untied his shoes before slipping them off. I chucked another blanket at Monty. "You should sleep too."

He smirked and shrugged. "You haven't slept in what? 3 days?"

"I have places to be and bitches to see Monty, what can I say."

He laughed and threw the blanket back. "You're one of the strongest in the group, go to bed for a bit Kora."

I sighed, defeated. "Fine."

Bellamy unconsciously hugged the blanket closer around himself, his forehead no longer sweat-ridden from beating up Murphy. His face not creased from worry lines and his eyelashes casting a shower over his tanned face. I wiped a piece of hair out of the way and leaned down to kiss his cheek.

"Thank you for standing up for me today Bell." I whispered, my lips brushing his relaxed face.

He mumbled and it made me smile just as I slipped into my own covers and fell asleep.


	9. Chapter 9

My whole body jolted as a sharp pain sliced through my wrist. I gasped and shot up from my bed. The lights on my wristband had gone out. "What's going on?" I asked worriedly.

Monty turned around, his face was a look of pure horror.

"Monty what did you do?" I asked quickly, running up to the circuit board the others were gathered around.

Octavia was holding Jasper's wrist looking at the area where the wristband had stopped flashing the lights to show it worked.

Clarke's eyebrows were furrowed in confusion and devastation. "What just happened?"

"I think- I think we just fried all the wires in the wristbands."

My eyes landed on Finn who looked sick, he turned away from us and quickly walked out. His boots clambering against the metal loudly. Clarke hurried out after him.

"They're going to think we're all dead." I said solemnly.

Jasper stumbled backwards against one of the walls and slid to the floor as he realized what was going to happen to all the people on the Ark.

Octavia crouched in front of him, comforting him as he spilled out profanities about how unlucky he was. It was pretty sweet.

My mouth dropped and I smacked Monty's arm behind me. Octavia reached forward and planted her lips on Jasper's.

I stood there gobsmacked and covered my mouth to stifle my giggle. She stood up and walked out, leaving a very surprised Jasper.

Monty and I simultaneously gave him a thumbs up and he smiled. He mustered his best smile but I think his lips were frozen in place so he just sighed in delight.

Yanking on my boots I looked around to see if Bellamy was still in the drop ship bed he'd fell asleep in. It was a good thing he wasn't, Jasper would of ended up like Murphy.

_Murphy_. The thought made me feel sick.

"I'm just gonna go get some fresh air. You alright in here?" I turned to Monty.

He nodded and laughed. "I'm fine but I think Jasper may need a while to recover."

The comment made us all laugh and I patted Jasper's head before walking outside. Some people were awake even though it was still dark outside, the events of the night was probably the reason.

I sighed and took a deep breath of the fresh night air. Filling my lungs, a sensation I still hadn't gotten used to since we landed.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw something light soaring through the sky. I looked closer and my whole body ignited. It was a pod from the Ark.

"Bellamy!" I called into his tent. If he wasn't in the drop ship he had to be in here. I opened the flap and gagged. "God you're a sick bastard aren't you?" I joked at the sight of his arms around two girls.

He shot up and the two girls squealed. I rolled my eyes and ignored the stench of sex. "Come out here and look at this."

I looked at both the girls for a second and swallowed a lump which had risen inside me. A sudden urge to hate them both possessed me but I shrugged it off.

He ignored the two girls as if they meant nothing and followed me outside. I pointed up to the sky and his eyes landed on the pod which continued to fall at an alarming rate.

"It could be supplies." I commented,

A group of dishevelled teenagers came out of their tents to look up at the sky. The pod's parachute opened and it's speed decreased.

"Hopefully they sent down some champagne." One of the girls came out of Bellamy's tent and said to us.

I crossed my arms and huffed giving Bellamy a look to say '_are you fucking kidding me right now_'. However his thoughts were pre-occupied. He looked scared like the thought of others coming down was his worst nightmare.

"You alright?" I asked him.

He snapped out of his gaze and went back inside his tent without a word. The girls went to follow him but he zipped the flap up. They looked pissed and groaned before walking back to their own beds. I took Bellamy's blankets off them after they got changed into something decent and opened up his tent again.

"Here." I told him, he took them off me and continued his conversation with a group of guys.

"-we head out at first light, pass the word." He finished. They nodded and hurried out.

"Are you serious? The grounders could get to it first." I warned him. He lowered his eyes and Octavia joined us.

"Bell we should go now." She supported my argument.

"No, we do as I say."

Octavia and I shared a look at his stupidity whilst he quickly evacuated his tent. She ran after him and I walked out after them too.

.

I ran out the gates of the Ark, Clarke and Finn had left over an hour ago to find Bellamy and I wanted to find out what Bellamy had done. Suspicion got the best of me and I ran faster through the trees until I stumbled into someone. I looked in front of me find Clarke.

"Clarke! Where's Bellamy?"

She looked upset, her jaw was clenched. "He took the radio, 300 people are going to die because of him."

"Who's this?" Another female voice said. I looked at the girl as she walked up to us. Her hair was tied in a messy ponytail and I saw she had a minor head injury. Her eyebrows made her look like she was constantly annoyed.

"I'm Kora, who are you?"

"Kora Taylor? I thought they'd floated you after what you did."

"No, I was in hiding but answer my question." I said quickly, I saw Clarke give me a quizzical glance but I ignored it.

"Raven. I was in the pod."

Finn's eye widened and he pointed down the bottom of a slanted hill where Bellamy was walking. We ran down and I slammed my hands into Bellamy's chest.

"What is wrong with you?"

"Kora stop, move."

"What are you so afraid of? They're going to die up there because of you."

"Kora." He threw his hands out. "I didn't do anything, please get out of my way."

"Where's the radio Bellamy?"

"I-"

"You're Bellamy Blake. The guy who shot Jaha." Raven said, her arms were crossed as if she was a figure of authority.

"What?" I said in disbelief.

"How do you know that?" Bellamy asked Raven.

"They're looking for you."

"Why would you do that?" I intervened. I couldn't believe what I was hearing and my head became mushed.

"He floated my mother. I had no choice."

"So that's why you tried to remove everyone's wristbands. Why you let people starve."

He didn't say anything and my answer was revealed.

"You were going to let me starve just for the sake of your own life?"

"I said I'd get you food." He argued.

"What about the others?"

"I know it's complete shit-" He started.

"You're damn right it is. You never really cared about the people in that camp did you?"

"You're a lousy shot." Raven snapped at him. "He's not dead."

"What?" He asked in disbelief, he shook his head and continued walking and I put my hand on his chest. "Stop ignoring me." I shouted. He stopped walking and looked down at me.

"What do you want me to say? Everything you're telling me is true. I don't care."

"You do care Bellamy. You cared enough to come down here and protect your sister. Please, you can protect her again by telling us where the radio is. You're not a murderer Bellamy please you can save those lives just like how to saved Octavia's."

His brown eyes came up from the ground and looked into mine. "It's too late." He said softly. "I threw it in the river."

"I'm done." I threw my hands up in the air and flicked my hair as I walked away.

Finn called after me. "Kora, where are you going?"

"I'm going to help Octavia with the walls."

"You can come if you want-" Bellamy started.

"What?"

"Uhm nothing. Go, we need to find that radio."

I searched his dirtied face for anything different but he turned away too quickly and I did the same.

.

"Have you seen Octavia?" I asked a black haired boy, he lifted his head from the wire he was mending and shook it.

"She went after Bellamy. That's the last time I saw her."

"Oh okay. Thank you."

I ran around the camp and searched through the forest until it started to become dark. "Octavia!" I called out her name a final time before heading back to the others.

When I re-entered camp, Raven had positioned three posts in the middle, they were made of hard steel and pointed upwards towards the sky. She picked up the last canister and placed it in the last post. I squinted in the dark until i came closer.

I stopped Finn as he went to walk around the back of one. "What are those?"

"Signal flares. We're gonna fire them up and hope the Ark can see them before they... You know."

"Will they be big enough?"

"I think so, it's the best we can do."

Clarke waved her hand up in the air and motioned for me to go over to her. "Kora, come here."

I settled myself next to her. "You alright? You looked a little pissed earlier."

I saw her glance at Finn and then to Raven. "Raven is Finn's girlfriend and I didn't know." She sighed.

"He didn't tell you? Holy shit, that's messed up."

"I slept with him Kora, god I feel so stupid."

I resisted the urge to fist pump the nearest person but I opted to take a more caring approach. "You're not stupid. He's just an ass and don't feel bad because you didn't know about Raven. Let him deal with all that."

"Yeah, that's a good idea." She sighed. "Have you found Octavia?"

"She's no where, I haven't check the drop ship yet though."

"She's probably asleep."

"Maybe."

Raven stepped back after lighting all three canisters and I flinched at the bang, I wrapped my arms around myself as the sparks spat off the bottom of the flares. A large hand pressed into my back and I shrunk back slightly, the hairs standing up on the back of my neck.

"You alright?" Bellamy asked.

He slid his hand over my other shoulder so it was slung across my back. "I'm fine."

The three flares shot up and I jumped despite my words. Bellamy laughed and squeezed his hand on my shoulder, pulling me closer into the crook of his body.

I looked up into the starlit sky as the flares exploded after hitting the atmosphere, a floray of red and orange shattered across the night and I felt a pair of eyes watching me, I looked to the side of me and I saw Bellamy switching his view from the lights then down to me. His dark eyes lit up with the parade of color and for once I actually wanted to wrap my arms around him and never let anything hurt him but the feeling wasn't mutual so there was no point dwelling.

Finn had Raven tucked under his arm a lot like Bellamy had with me and I saw Clarke glance then stare at the ground.

"Do you think you could wish on that like a shooting star?" Clarke asked us.

Bellamy gave her a look and she shrugged. "Forget it."

He sighed and the movement against my body made me shiver slightly.

"I wouldn't even know what to wish for." Bellamy said. "What about you?"

Just as Bellamy looked back up at the sky, Clarke turned her head towards Finn. I knew what she wanted and I felt so sorry for her. I wanted to punch Finn in the nose and tell him how awful he's been but it wasn't my business.

"Hey." Bellamy shook my shoulder. "What about you?"

I turned to look at him. "I don't know what I want."

I absorbed the swirling colours of his eyes then looked away quickly. He casually tapped my arm to the beat of a song which wasn't playing and a small smile played on my lips as his finger brushed over the skin.


	10. Chapter 10

"Kora have you seen Octavia?" Bellamy's worried voice cracked a octave lower as he rushed up to me.

"What? No I haven't, I was looking for her earlier." I said groggily, I'd just awoken from a short nap and even though it was still night I couldn't fall asleep again. "Careful with that." I snapped as he swished the make-shift torch around, the flame flickering dangerously close to my hair.

"I don't have time for this." He angrily stormed away.

"She's probably fallen asleep somewhere." I called.

"I've checked everywhere, the camp, the drop ship. She's nowhere."

"Okay, I'll look again. Check the perimeter and I'll get Monty to look through the drop ship."

We started a walk along a dirt path through camp as the torch flickered above Bellamy's head.

"Thank you."

"Don't flatter yourself, I'm still pissed at you about the radio."

He swallowed as we parted ways, I watched the dark glow of the light as it travelled around the walls of camp.

Walking into the drop ship, I shook Monty. "Bud, wake up. Can you check the floors upstairs for Octavia? We can't find her."

He gave a loud groan and rolled out of the covers, a sock was missing from his foot and his usually flattened hair was dishevelled; sticking upwards and outwards.

"I'll wake Jasper too."

"Okay, thank you."

I heard the rustle of tents outside and my eyes squinted to the new sight of dozens of fire-lit torches aflame. I walked up to Bellamy.

"What are you doing?"

"We need to find her. I'm not letting anyone sleep until we do."

I sighed and nodded. "Fine." Jasper timidly lit a torch and looked up at me through his fringe. "Jasper! You alright?"

"W-what? I'm f-fine."

"Wait you haven't been out of camp since the incident have you?"

"I'm fine."

"You don't have to if you don't want to."

"I need to do this Kora." He mustered up all his strength and forced them into words.

I tilted my head and dragged my hand down my face in defeat. "Okay, sure. Go and get Clarke up." There was no way I could've stopped Jasper leaving the camp to find Octavia, he cared about her too much.

"Where's Finn? He's good at tracking." Bellamy said, his hands were placed on his hips as he looked down at everybody with authority. I resisted the urge to laugh.

"In his tent with Raven."

"Finn we're leaving. Come on." Bellamy called out to his tent.

And so we did, the whole camp started to follow Bellamy's footsteps but I stopped walking as the sound of a faint boom. I looked up and grabbed Bellamy's wrist. "Look." I pointed to the sky.

What looked like lights started to hit the atmosphere, over and over. Like raindrops against a beating window. There were hundreds, they made a faint drumming sound and soon we were all looking up into the night again.

"They're so beautiful." Someone called out from the crowd.

Realization hit me like a train and I swallowed hard. "It's not beautiful. They're people."

Clarke stepped into the circle and watched the bodies fall. "It's a funeral. They didn't get the message we sent."

As the words sunk in, it was enough to silence the whole camp. The breath was sucked out of all of us, leaving us stranded in our thoughts. The whole camp had arisen now and we were all huddled in one large group.

Bellamy loudly swallowed and his gaze lowered to the ground in regret. I stepped back as Raven stalked forward and slammed her hands into him. "This is all because of you."

"I helped you find the radio," He counter-acted.

"After you trashed it."

Clarke and Finn held her back and for Bellamy's sake I'm glad they did.

"Raven, he knows and now he has to live with his blood on their hands." I told her. He glanced at me out the corner of his eye and pushed passed us all. "All I know is that my sister is out there and I need to find her."

I shared a look with Finn for a second.

"We need to warn them. More people will die." Clarke said to herself more than anything. I was waiting for Clarke to stop talking so we could go but they were in their own conversation right now. All I could imagine were the families up in the Ark, weaping over lost ones and wondering how they'd cope.

"We gotta go Finn." Jasper said. His anxiety levels were probably through the roof right now so I stayed close to him.

"Do you want to come with us to get that transmitter?" Raven asked me.

"No wait, you need to come with us. I need someone." Jasper whispered. I looked at him and nodded in his direction.

"I have to stay with Jasper guys. I'll see you in a bit." I told them before walking into the forest with both boys.

.

The deeper we got into the forest, the more noises we heard. Jasper snapped his head in every direction at even the faintest sound. I soothingly rubbed his shoulder with my hand and he gave me a small smile.

"You're okay." I assured him.

I saw Bellamy hand being thrown out to the side to signal for us to stop and then Jasper push in front of everyone. He disappeared off the edge of a small hill and as I came closer I saw him dip his fingers into a dark pool of blood. My own ran cold and I slipped my way down next to him.

Finn jumped down and started tracking a set of foot-prints. We followed quickly after them, they were large and only a single set which meant the grounder was carrying her.

I ran into Finn's back when he stopped suddenly, swerving to the side to see what everyone was oggling at, my mouth dropped at the sight of three skeletons hanging up on posts, some rotten flesh still decaying on their mangled bodies.

"I don't speak grounder." Finn started. "But I think this means keep out."

A couple of people walked behind a little more and hid next to one another, but despite having a close encounter with one; Jasper stayed standing next to me.

"Leave if you want. I'm getting my sister." Bellamy called out to the group. A few of them started to run back and I wanted to aswell but I honestly felt like that was a betrayel to Bellamy.

Bellamy looked at me as if testing my actions but I gripped my knife harder and gave him a curt nod. I followed a couple of steps behind him and looked at the ground so wouldn't have to look at the bodies.

We walked for a good few hours and my feet dragged and dragged themselves against the soil as the sun started to come up, a bird started to rustle it's feathers up in the trees.

I trod on Finn's footsteps and heard him heave a sigh. "I've lost the trail."

Bellamy stopped and looked all over the floor. "What do you mean you've lost the trail?"

"It's stopped, it's just gone."

"Keep looking." Bellamy persisted.

"We should go back and re-follow our steps."

"I am not going back-"

"Hey where's John?" A girl asked, it was just half a dozen of us now. The rest had subsided back to the camp for sleep. Truthfully I had no idea who John was but turned around to see anyway. We all stood in silence, the caw of a bird the only noise.

"I swear I saw him a second ago." Jasper said quietly.

"You two go and check it out." Bellamy pointed to the girl and another guy, they started walking and jumped back when a body hit the ground floor with a bone-crunching thud. John's body.

I looked up at the tree tops and tried to see any movement, a dark shadow appeared and I blinked. Then it disappeared.

"Bellamy, they're in the trees." I whispered. My heart started to beat faster against my chest and I tugged Jasper closer to me so he wouldn't get hurt again.

A growl erupted from up above and the group gathered in a circle together. I held onto my dagger tightly and watched Bellamy point over into the near distance. I gulped at the sight of a dark figure standing and watching us. The outline of a spear connected to his arm.

"B-bellamy?" I said shakily.

"It's okay. We just need to stay calm."

"I think we should run." Finn whispered. We all shared looks and I felt a hand grab my arm as we all sprinted off into the forest. I looked around and saw a couple other figures come into view. I felt adrenaline being flooded into me and I started to work my legs faster. I jumped over a fallen tree and Bellamy released my arm.

We scattered out and I heard Jasper shout that he couldn't run much longer. A ginger boy shouted at him that he wasn't going to wait. I stopped running as soon as Bellamy stopped.

An eerie growl was loud and clear behind us and the ginger kid kept running. Roma, a tall girl with dark brown hair, followed after him stupidly so we had no choice but to follow.

I heard her scream as she hurriedly stopped herself from running into a wooden plank with the boy's body on. I covered my mouth with my hand at the sight of blood dripping from his mouth, his eyes still open in shock.

"They're leading us here." Jasper heaved and we looked around the forest for any sign of movement.

"Where are they?" I asked.

"They're going after Roma." Bellamy answer as we took off in the direction of a new scream.

We ran up to a large tree where someone's hand was poking out. "Roma?" I called out.

Bellamy approached slowly and I watched his shoulders fall when he came round the other side. His hand came up to her face and lowered her eyelids. I looked at the ground instead of at the spear in her chest.

"She only came because of me."

I realized that she was one of the girls Bellamy had slept with and even though I wanted to hate her, I couldn't. She probably had family and now she was gone.

"Do they know we're even here?" Jasper asked.

"They're toying with us." Finn concluded.

"Well why don't they just stop! We're here!" Jasper shouted loudly. I gasped and tried to cover his mouth.

"Sshh. Jasper stop!" I whispered. He yanked his face away from my hand.

"Over here! We're over here, just come and kill us already!"

He stopped when his eyes landed on a familiar shadow next to the trees. I turned in a circle to see four others, all of them surrounding us.

"Now you've done it." I snapped.

I prepared myself and placed my foot in a stance when they started towards us. That was until a loud horn chimed out, it signalled three times and all of the grounders heads whipped up into the air before retreating back to wherever they came from.

"What just happened?" Jasper asked again. I looked in disbelief at the clear forest and relief flooded my insides.

"That was a warning for the fog." Finn said quickly.

I stopped my tiny smile and looked at him. "We need to get out of here."

"There's no time. Here."

Folding out an orange tent cover we huddled together and dove down into the soil. The orange glow covered all of our bodies and only our breathing could be heard. Bellamy's body was wrapped up next to mine and when we heard nothing outside, he raised his eyebrow at me.

Being this close to him made the heat from his body radiate onto me. Our arms were touching and I could see the freckles along his prominent cheekbones.

"I don't think there's any fog." I whispered.

He lifted a stretch of ten in front of him and looked out. "Nothing. There's no fog."

I crawled out from underneath the sheet and looked around. "The grounders will be back. We should get moving."

I didn't want anyone else to be murdered like John or the other boy. I felt a sense a pang of guilt because I never got to know him but it was too late.

"They're coming back." Bellamy said and I looked at the figure moving between the trees.

"Wait he's alone." I observed.

"That's it. I'm going after him; torture him to find out where Octavia is."

"Bellamy no-"

"I am finding her Kora. I don't care what you have to say."

I couldn't protest any further as he ran off in the direction of the grounder. We followed in his footsteps until we came across a cave entrance. The walls were wet with moss and crawling bugs.

Pushing ourselves further into the cave we stumbled down a passage way and it became colder. The pathway led into a dim room which was dark from loss of sunlight.

"Octavia." Bellamy breathed. He leaped forward and grabbed the shackles which were attached to her wrists. I smiled in relief and noticed the cut on her head from an obvious fall. A cut on her leg had been healed using a hot stick to stop infection and my gaze went directly down to the person on the floor.

As Bellamy untied Octavia, I stepped around the grounder. A bundle of fur linens hung over his shoulders and a tribal tattoo could be seen snaking up his neck. His stone-cold face had been silenced as he lay unconscious.

Falling into Bellamy's grasp, Octavia almost seemed near to tears.

"You're okay." Bellamy whispered.

I glanced at him for a second at his words. How he seemed so angered earlier at everybody and now he was gripping her so tightly it was as if she'd fall apart between his hands.

Bellamy's eyes opened and he looked at me over Octavia's shoulder, I darted my eyes back to the grounder and he pulled himself away from their hug. She ran over to Jasper and enveloped herself into his arms instead.

I pulled my hand up to Bellamy when he reached for a man-made spear close by. He looked angry once again, _revenge was what he craved_.

"He took my sister. He deserves it."

"No. Wait." I said and I crouched down next to Finn who picked up a hollowed out horn. I skimmed my hand over a vial which had a brown liquid in it. "Medicine?" I asked nobody in particular.

"Maybe." Finn was studying a dirty ivory horn next to me. "This is-" He began but our reflexes were too slow.

The grounder shot up and shoved a dagger into Finn's chest, I fell back in shock and didn't have time to scream when his large hand forcefully slammed itself into my body. I was pushed back so dramatically I could barely register the soggy cave wall banging against my head.

I lifted my hand up whilst the grounder grabbed the spear and tried to jam it into Bellamy's throat and touched the back of my head, my hand came away covered in blood.

A throbbing pain hit me like a tidal wave as I crawled over to Finn, he was awake and my vision blurred when I bought a shaking hand to his chest.

"W-we need to get you back to camp. Don't touch the dagger."

The grounder fell down unconscious next to us, his head bloody like mine.

"Shouldn't we take it out?"

"No, it's the only thing keeping you alive right n-now."

My stammer became worse and I leaned a hand down onto the dirty floor, trying to balance myself. I had to stay awake or Finn could die. _I had to_.

As I followed everybody standing up, I fell into the cave wall and my shoulder rested against it whilst i tried to catch my breath. The others headed up the path: carrying Finn.

My stomach churned and black spots shrouded my eyesight. I winced at the pain throbbing into my every nerve cell.

"Kora? Hey, you okay?"

I looked up at Bellamy's tall frame and my feet wobbled. I lost control of my legs and fell, he caught me under his slender arms and a hand touched the back of my head. I winced loudly.

"Shit, do you feel faint at all? I can carry you."

"I feel fine." I smiled at him as a hot trickled of blood travelled down my neck. I touched it and he watched my hand move back around. "What a bitch." I gasped and what felt like an electric shot spread out like wings over my head.

Those were my last words as I completely lost all sense of control and I felt the consciousness go out of my body like a light bulb.


	11. Chapter 11

A faint feather touch was felt on my shoulder. Groaning, I opened my eyes and tried to move. Someone's hand held me down and my vision cleared as they became more visible.

"Bellamy?" I asked confused.

He smiled and removed the damp cloth from my head. "How's your head?"

I squeezed my eyes shut and winced when I reached up to touch the back of it. Underneath my hair I could feel a lump where a harsh bruise would form. "It kills."

"Not surprised. You were asleep for a couple hours."

I shot up and in surprise his hand fell off my shoulder. "Where's Finn?" I remembered the events which had taken place earlier and the grounders face flooded my thoughts.

"He's in the drop ship, Raven is trying to get through to the Ark."

I pushed the covers off me, an folded out sleeping bag. "I need to get to him. He could die."

"Hey." Bellamy held his arm out to stop me from moving. "Clarke's got him under control."

"What if he has blood poisoning? Has Clarke even checked?"

"Kora, just rest goddammit. You don't need to save everyone's life all the time."

I lowered my body back onto the make-shift bed and listened to his words.

He rolled back on the balls of his feet, impressed by my cooperation. "There's a storm coming, so if needs be then we'll move you into the drop ship."

"I banged my head. I'm not dying." I said sarcastically, I placed with a peice of frayed frabic on the sleeping bag. "Worried are we?" I teased.

He laughed and shook his head. "Of course not but if I get sick then I don't want to die and you're one of the only people who have any medical training."

"If you get sick then I'll leave you to drown in it."

"Harsh princess." He laughed again, the noise rang like a chime and it was a deep sound.

"Clarke's got medical training too."

"Clarke's too uptight. She'd probably strangle me."

"How would you know I wouldn't too?"

"I don't." He shrugged.

I looked up and around me, I was in a tent and not just anyone's tent. Bellamy's. It was much larger than anyone else's in the camp, with a small wooden chair in the corner, the sheets I was tangled in were from ripped sleeping bags pulled open to create a type of duvet. The whole tent was orange and white so the glow inside made his tan seem darker and his skin a lot purer.

"Are you sure Clarke's okay with Finn?" I asked worriedly.

He shook his head and laughed. "I'm positive, rest. I'll wake you in a couple hours."

I turned over in the bed and bunched the linings around myself, I could smell Bellamy in the sheets and around me. the scent of fresh pine and a musk. It was divine I hated to admit. I snuggled my nose into the warmth of the covers and tried to keep my head balanced so the bruising wouldn't touch any surfaces. I closed my eyes and after a couple minutes I heard a clamber of boots come closer to me, a slow dip at the end of the bed made me realize he had sat down at the bottom of my feet.

I peaked out over the covers and saw him stare forward for a couple seconds then his head dropped into his hands which were rested on his knees. He heaved a tired sigh and I didn't want to seem like I was spying so I slowly went back into my sleeping position and slept.

The air had become much colder than earlier which meant that Bellamy was right; a storm was coming.

.

"Kora, wake up we need you."

Two hands shook me and I moved back further into the covers. "No. Let me sleep." I grumbled.

Bellamy laughed. "I would if I could princess but Clarke wants you."

I became aware of a harsh rustling against the tent walls, like heavy wind was beating like a drum along them. I blinked a couple of times and wiped the sleep from my eyes as I stepped outside the tent.

"It's a bit windy." I said sarcastically to Bellamy.

He zipped up the tent with a little more force as the wind beat against his hands. I shivered as it escaped into my jacket. My head ached slightly but the nip of wind kept me preoccupied.

There wasn't any rain yet so the worst was probably to come, I thought to myself as I ran into the drop ship. I saw a couple of camp mates straggling to tie tents to the ground securely; preparing themselves for the eye of the storm.

"Raven to Ark Station please come in." I heard Raven repeat. Bellamy grabbed his jacket and shrugged it over his broad shoulders.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"Just to get some more wood."

I didn't believe him as his eyes were averted to the ground when he spoke but I ignored it and turned to Finn. He was unconscious on the metal table in front of me. His chest covered in dry blood, the knife seemed like a traditional one. With grooves on the handle, swirling into a pattern.

Clarke pressed a cloth around the knife and I walked closer to Raven instead.

The radio seemed to be fixed and working completely by now, red flashing lights beaped up the top of the monitor.

"You got it working?"

Raven nodded and frantically pressed a button on the radio. "With some metal from the pod but the storm is interfering too much."

"It's not too bad now, change the frequency."

She changed it a couple times but static just shredded through. Raven looked back at Finn's body and threw her hands down. "This isn't working."

I fiddled with the wiring slightly and a quieter static came through. "You can do this Raven." I touched her shoulder lightly and she looked up at me, her eyes crinkled in annoyance. "Someone told me you're the youngest mechanic on the Ark? So if that isn't saying something I don't know what is."

She sighed but smiled nonetheless. "I just- I need him to be okay."

I knew she was referring to Finn and I actually felt awful. She obviously had nobody left and Finn was the only one holding her together. I sighed. "He will be okay, I promise."

But promises could be broken, Raven and I knew that.

"Just let me sort this radio out." She said closing the conversation. Her ponytail was messy and pull back loosely as she swished her head back down to the wires.

I didn't reply and left her to her own thoughts. I wondered if she knew about Clarke sleeping with Finn and about Clarke's feelings for him. Clarke's guilt ridden face was enough to make everyone in the camp realize what had happened. Even Monty had given me a look when Raven entered the drop ship for the first time.

Thinking of Monty; I wondered where he was. I looked around the drop ship and I could find neither of both him and Jasper.

Octavia jumped down from the second floor and I stopped her. "Have you seen Jasper and Monty?"

"They left with Bellamy."

"Just for wood?"

"Is that what they went out for? He didn't say anything to me."

I shrugged and let her passed, her tank top was covered in dry blood and so were her jeans. She placed down a jug of hot water next to Finn and walked off in search of other medical supplies.

I heard the sound of a lot of boots clambering against metal and a hoard of other camp mates ran inside. The sheet protecting the entrance of the drop ship started to flip around, swirling in the now forceful wind. Rain clattered down against the door at a heavy rate and I ran forward to help tie the sheet down.

I'd taken my jacket off earlier due to the heat inside the drop ship so the spits of rain hammered against my clothes. My tank became damp against my skin but my boots were waterproof and didn't slip on the floor.

A tall blond boy grabbed the corner of the cover sheet out my hands and yanked it to the floor. "Here."

I stepped back and tied my hair into a messy ponytail so it wouldn't go into my face. "Thanks."

"I'm Noah."

"Kora." I shouted over the roar of wind and rain.

"I know who you are."

"Oh right."

"I'm sorry about your mom."

I shot my head up in confusion and I thought I misheard with all the noise of heavy weather around my ears.

"I said I'm sorry about your mom." He repeated louder.

_I hadn't misheard._

Swallowing hard, I stepped back a bit. His face looked hurt and he shook his head. "I didn't mean to say anything." He moved further away in embarrassment.

"I-It's okay. Don't worry about it." I calmed him even though I felt a sudden coldness inside.

I stared at him for a second, he seemed a couple of years younger. His dark brown hair curled into a fringe over his forehead. Then a buzzing noise screeched through the entire floor.

"Ark to the 100. Please respond." The voice echoed through and I gasped.

I ran back to Raven and listened intently. "Ark to the ground. Anyone there?"

Raven's shaky voice spoke back. "The 100 are here. They're alive."

Silence was the only thing you could hear over the wind and rain, everybody was frozen in place.

"Please we need Doctor Abby Griffin. Doctor Abby Griffin now." Raven said into the transmitter.

I rushed over to Finn's body, a pulse of excitement rippling through me at the thought of hearing Abby again.

"Raven? Raven are you there?" Abby's familiar voice crackled through the speakers. I watched Clarke's reaction at the sound of her mother's voice. I sighed in relief at hearing someone's else's voice.

"Mom? Mom are you there? It's me."

Her grudge seemed to have vanished as a bead of sweat fell off her forehead. With all these people huddled inside the drop ship I was starting to become a little hotter.

"Clarke?"

"Mom I need your help, one of our people were stabbed my a grounder." She said back.

A male's voice instead appeared on the other line. "Clarke, this is the chancellor. Are you saying there's survivors on the ground?"

"Yes. Earth is survivable. We're not alone but we need your help Abby."

"Kora?" Abby and Jaha said at the same time.

"I made it." I said into the speaker, mainly to Abby.

"How are you on the ground?" Jaha spoke quickly.

"Chancellor, I can't explain to you right now but please we need to save Finn."

I shared a look with Clarke for a second and then Abby's voice rattled through to us once again.

"Kora? Is my son with you?" Jaha asked hesitantly, even through the awful speakers I could hear the worry.

I took a shaky breath and remembered Wells' blood between my fingertips and my head dropped on my shoulders. "I'm sorry. Wells is dead."

Silence. Jaha didn't answer. Instead Abby's voice did.

"Clarke? I'm going to run it through step by step."

The whole drop ship shook violently as a thunderclap roared into life outside. I held onto Finn's body so he wouldn't fall onto the floor. The radio cackled again and the signal became loose.

"Raven." Clarke asked, "What's happening?"

"It's not the radio. It's the storm."

I leaned over Finn and untied the now bloody cloth from around the knife just as Octavia walked in carrying two metal cylinder's full of water. I sniffed one and gagged. "Moonshine?"

"At least they'll be no infection."

Another blast of wind and rain shot through the drop ship doors and I saw Noah trying to pull the flap down again. "We should close the door." I said.

"Bellamy's still out there with Jasper and Monty." Octavia replied.

I nodded, understanding.

"Monroe, close the doors." Clarke snapped at someone. She wasn't so understanding I guess.

"But we still have people out there." Monroe argued.

"They'll find somewhere to ride it out. Don't worry."

Raven dropped her radio equipment and handed Clarke a surgery needle. I stirred the moonshine and the water together with Octavia, both of us damp from the rain. I dipped my hands in the clean water and dried them with a small towel. I handed it to Clarke.

"You can do this." I reasurred her. My head still ached from the bang so I wouldn't be able to stitch up the wound without shaking.

Raven crossed her arms in front of us and raised an eyebrow. "Tell me you can do this."

I didn't say anything but looked at Clarke. She hesitantly nodded then her eyes fell to Finn's face. "I-"

"Hey they're back!" A girl's voice shouted.

I looked away from them both and a smile crept onto my face at the sight of Bellamy completely drenched in rain water. His hair was wrapped over his fore heard like a cap.

"Bellamy-" I said, walking towards him.

He held a hand out for me to stop and that's when my smile vanished. Two guys dropped the tied and strung grounder to the floor. His head wrapped in a dirty cloth to cover his eyes and certain areas of his body were covered in blood.

"The hell are you doing?" Octavia asked him.

I went to reach down to the grounder so check his pulse out of instinct but Bellamy made me stop in my tracks.

"We need answers." He said deeply.

I looked into his eyes and saw anger. No kindness or sympathy rested in his dark iris's and I tensed up.


	12. Chapter 12

"Don't you dare." My voice wobbled.

"We need to teach them that we won't go down without a fight."

"This is- This is wrong. You don't hurt people."

"They don't follow that rule so neither should we."

I stepped away from him as he led a couple of others to drag the grounders body up to the next floor. Abby's voice rattled through the frequency again telling us she was ready. Bellamy's heart seemed to drop at the sound. He looked at me for a second, shook his head and climbed the ladder with the others.

"The blade is at a sharp upward angle. I don't know how deep it is." Clarke stated into the radio. I watched Raven pace back and forth anxiously. She had nobody left and I felt her pain for a second.

Crossing my arms I saw two boys arguing in the corner, I rolled my eyes and shoved them away from each other. "Control yourselves." I snapped angrily. The glared at me but proceeded to slump away from one another and to opposite sides of the drop ship. "Get upstairs. All of you." I shouted to the rest of them. I snapped my hands together as they did so. Clarke nodded at me thankfully.

My damp pony tail clung to the back of my neck whilst the wind roared outisde, the drop ship door still not closed.

"Clarke, is there any fluid leaking from the wound?" Abby asked.

"No."

"Okay that's good. He's lucky."

Raven leaned over him and sighed. "Hear that? You got lucky." A sad smile ghosted her face. Looking at Clarke I noticed a frown bury it's way into her forehead.

"I'm going to get Octavia, we might need some extra hands. You got this?" I motioned to Finn's body and Clarke nodded quickly at me; her loss for words was worrying.

I climbed to the top floor, which was where Bellamy and the grounder were. Octavia wasn't on the second deck so she had to be there. I clambered up and my stomach dropped.

Coming out of the shadows I raked my eyes down the strung up body of the grounder. I swallowed harshly and looked at Bellamy, his neck was ridden in sweat and rain water. His shirt clinging to his body tightly. I saw Octavia being held back by two guys in the corner. My anger was fueled immediantly.

"Let him go. He saved your sister Bellamy." I hissed.

"No, he's one of them. If we let him go: more will come and they will kill all of us. I'm doing this for all of us."

Shaking my head, I looked back at the grounder. His dark skin was bloodied in places and tattoos ran along a part of his exposed neck and arm.

"It wasn't even him. He saved one of us."

"No he's the reason behind Finn, John, Roma and Diggs."

"It probably wasn't even him Bellamy-"

"You don't know that." He shouted all of a sudden. "We need to know what they're capable of."

I held my ground and looked up at him. "Not by doing this."

"It's the only way he'll understand."

I pushed his arm away forcefully as he grabbed a sharp knife from a crate. He scooped it up in his hand and I tried to step in front of him. "Please don't."

I grabbed his elbow and he flicked me away. "Don't do this. You're not one of them." I started to shout.

"Get her away from here." He coughed to two other men. Four strong hands held my malnurished arms and I thrashed against.

"Don't please!" I cried.

I watched as Bellamy walked up to the grounder and ripped his shirt open using the knife, not caring if he nipped the skin. The grounder's eyes held so much anger that if it were possible Bellamy would be dead on the floor if looks could kill.

Blood, old and new, fell down his face and newly exposed body. He watched Octavia as she hurried down the ladders to help Clarke. I noticed how his face softened at the sight of her, it was almost heartwarming.

"Get out of here Kora." He snapped. "I don't want you to see this."

"You don't want me to?" I wrenched my arms free. "Too fucking bad."

He hesitated and sighed. "Leave Kora. Now."

When I didn't move he threw his arms out and laughed without any humour, a dry, stone cold laugh. "Fine, you want to see this? Stay, see if I give a fuck."

Bellamy bent down and picked up a book. The grounder moved violently against the chains holding his arms.

"Looks like we found something he doesn't want us to see."

I looked at the grounder and he glanced up from the ground to me. He dropped his head again and I had to get him out of here. For Octavia's sake.

A bang shook the whole drop ship and Bellamy looked at me for a second. "He's going to hate us." I blatantly told him.

"They're killing us off one by one. I have every right to do this."

"No you don't."

Ignoring my answer he shrugged and gave me a bored expression. "Are you getting out or what?"

I shook my head and stood my ground again, stancing my feet. "I'm staying."

Bellamy slammed the hatch door shut and locked it. His jaw was clenched as he turned away I heard Clarke shout the word 'poison'. My eyes widened and I looked at the viles which Bellamy had found earlier. Rushing towards them I picked them up.

Clarke banged against the hatch door but nobody opened it. "Kora. Ask him about the medicine!" She cried.

The whole room stilled and I went into action. Moving up in front of the grounder and held out the vile of liquid. "Please, is this medicine?" I pleaded.

He didn't answer but his eyes flickered so I knew that is was a yes.

"Which one? Which one is it?" I asked quickly, Bellamy's anger could only stay low for so long and I had to save Finn.

The grounders eyes were fixated at the floor and I sighed in frustration. Bellamy's body heat radiated next to me and he seemed to study everything.

"Which one?" I asked again.

"Answer the question." Bellamy shouted loudly. I almost jumped at the shock.

Suddenly Clarke and Octavia came crawling up the ladders. Clarke stayed stepped back, allowing me to take hold of the situation.

Octavia grabbed the vial from me and hovered in front of the grounder. "Which one is it? Do you understand?" She said softly.

He lifted his gaze to her and didn't answer.

"This one?" She pointed to a blue colored vial and he still didn't move.

"We need to persuade him." Bellamy muttered.

I looked at Clarke for help but her face remained as hard as rock. "Do it." She confirmed to him. My mouth dropped open and I whipped my head back to him.

Bellamy shoved Octavia out the way and she skidded into Clarke. Miller, one of the other campers, grabbed my wrist as Bellamy tied an old seatbelt around his wrist, the clang of the metal lock echoed off the walls around us and I froze.

"Bellamy d-don't do that."

He didn't reply and I felt my heart starting to pick up it's pace. I felt my stomach lurch at the memories flooding back into my head. I gulped and my hands started to shake.

The grounder stood with his arms spread open, pulled tighter by the metal chains attached to his wrists. The tattoos snaked over his toned chest rippled as he prepared himself for what was to come.

The sweat left patches on Bellamy's back and his whole upper body's muscles moved. He swung the seatbelt back and it collided with the grounder's chest. It landed on it's mark with a crunch and a whimper escaped my mouth.

At the noise Bellamy glanced at me for a second but my eyes were focused on the grounder as his eyes squeezed shut. I couldn't take the sight of this much longer, I couldn't stand to re-live this, watching the life being beaten out of someone.

Another blow hit his chest and the grounder didn't make a sound. He did it again and again and I threw Miller off me. I fell to the ground and gasped at the pain in my knees. Wobbling my way to my feet I looked at Bellamy.

This time the grounder cried out as the seatbelt whipped his chest, the skin broke over his body and I almost threw up.

"Enough!" I shouted. "Finn will die. Let us try and talk to him instead of doing this!"

"Fine, if he doesn't answer then maybe this will help."

Holding up a spike to me, I winced. Bellamy leaned on his knees sa he breathed in and out. I felt repulsed by his actions, I wanted to hide away underneath a blanket and envolope myself in something except there was none of that down here.

I stood in front of him with Octavia and held out the small metal box, my hands were clammy with cold sweat. I couldn't look Clarke or Bellamy in the eye again or I'd completely lose it.

"Please." I whispered. "Please, just look at the antidote. That's all I need, I am begging you."

He didn't reply once again and I bowed my head.

"Which one? Which one is it please. They'll stop if you tell us." My voice was scratchy and croaked.

I fell back and wiped my forehead.

"You don't have to be here for this Kora. Please, get out."

I looked down at spike between his long fingers and squeezed my eyes for a second. "I'm not leaving. Just wait for a sec-"

He plunged the spike into the grounders open hand and I covered my mouth with my hand at the sight. Clarke turned away and I saw Octavia biting her nails hard.

The grounder's hand shook but no words fell from his mouth, tears pricked my eyes as the torture unfolded in front of me like it did before. I watched as the blood dripped out of the wound and onto the floor, it was heavy and dark.

I looked away from Bellamy when he turned around. Raking a hand through my hair I pulled a couple of strands out in panic. I felt like I couldn't handle the situation, my whole mind was exploding, my heart was hammering.

"What's taking so long?" Raven's voice snapped from the floor below.

She climbed up the ladder and I watched her eyebrows raise. She didn't seem shocked or disgusted but she looked pissed. Her eyes landed on the grounder and she stalked over to the loose cables on the other side of the room.

"He won't say anything? Wanna bet?" She tested. I went to stop her but the sparks flew out the ends of the wires and she plunged them into his abdomdimen.

The grounder cried and started to shake uncontrollably and Raven started to scream into his ear. "He's all I have! Just fucking tell us."

"No more." Octavia cried from behind us. She moved into the middle of the room, holding the same poisoned covered knife above her wrist.

"He's letting Finn die." Raven screeched.

"He won't let me die."

Bellamy went to stop her but it was too late, she raked the knife up her wrist and blood began to drip from the wound.

The grounder rattled against his chains, trying to get to Octavia. She was right. Her life meant more than his own to him.

She fell to the floor in front of his feet. Spreading out the vial's along the floor, she pointed to each one and looked up at him. The tears rested in her blue eyes and she looked exhausted. He arm continued to bleed and she pointed at each vial, he gave a slight nod to a golden one and I ran a hand over my face.

Clarke grabbed it quickly and sprinted her way over to the hatch, Raven followed without a backwards glance.

A look of distaste rested over me, how dare they. The actions given were horrendous, they made me want to punch everything in sight.

Bellamy went to pick Octavia up but she refused. I stared at the grounder in a mixture of surprise and relief.

I hoisted Octavia off the ground and she glanced back at the grounder one last time before I let her disappear down the trap door. I sent her a sad smile which she returned lightly.

Bellamy's gaze wavered from the floor and up to me. His face was full of confusion and guilt and he opened his mouth to speak.

"Don't." I silenced him.

"I was trying to protect the group. I'm sorry, I thought he was dangerous."

I started to climb down the ladder and I leaned my head against my hand. "I don't think it's me you should apologize to Bell."

"I didn't want you to see that."

"I've already seen it."

"What do you mean?"

"Bell." I sighed against the cool metal ladder step. "Not tonight."

"Are you disgusted by what I've done?"

"I don't know anymore."

"I had to get answers."

"Violence isn't the answer Bellamy and to be honest you need to get out of this room before you do something else you'll regret."

He looked at Miller and they shared a look for a second which meant he was on guard for the rest of the night.

Bellamy followed me down the ladders and I saw the other campers sleeping over one another because they couldn't sleep in their own tents. I jumped down onto the second floor as the first one was sealed off for Finn.

The noise didn't wake anyone, they were too exhausted from everything to care.

Throwing a blanket at Bellamy I watched as he scooted down a metal wall. He grabbed it but kept it bundled up.

"You need to sleep." I said curtly.

"I don't think I can."

I sat down next to him and fiddled with the fraying cloth of the blanket I'd got for myself. "Is this not a luxurious as your 5 star tent outside?"

He rolled his eyes at me and looked away.

"Okay, ignore me. I'm going to sleep." I huffed. All I could think of was the blood on the grounders skin and sound of the seatbelt whipping through the air.

I lay down next to his sat up form. His legs stretched out ahead of him.

"You don't happen to have a pillow do you?"

His let the blanket fall over his waist and stomach and he slid further down the wall.

"No way." I rejected.

"It's either this or wake up with a crick in your neck."

I sighed and leant my head on his stomach we were sleeping at a 90 degree angle. The rise and fall of his breath was calming but all I could do was remember how his face was contorted with so much anger and injustice.

"I'm still annoyed at you. This doesn't change anything." I told him as I wrap the blanket around myself. I tugged my hair out of the ponytail and it fell around my shoulders.

He didn't say anything but he bought his hand up to tuck a piece of hair behind behind my ear. The movement was short and sweet.

As I fell asleep turned away from him, I felt two soft hands come down and slowly play with my hair.

The movement was slow at first as if he was too scared I'd lash out and tell him to leave me alone. That's what he was waiting for.

I didn't though. The movement felt nice against my sore head. He combed his fingers through my hair and it felt really good.

Nodding off, all I could hear was Bellamy tapping his other hand against the metal floor next to my head. I rolled my eyes and sprung up.

"Are you going to keep doing that?" I snapped.

He moved his hand away from the floor and I looked at the bags underneath his eyes.

"Come here." I motioned towards my lap. I sat up against the wall and he hesitantly lay his head down.

"I'm not going to strangle you." I said, huffing.

He laughed lightly and threw the blanket over his body.

I started to play with his hair, if it soothed me then it probably would do the same to him.

The hair was soft beneath my fingers, right down to the root. I combed my fingers through it softly and played with the baby hairs on the back of his neck.

Bellamy's dark eyes hovered over my face and I looked down, meeting his eyes.

"You should sleep Bell."

Leaning back so I was a more comfortable, I continued to fiddle with his hair until I heard a light sigh.

A smile escaped my lips when I saw his face had weakened and smoothed out. His frown was gone and his parted lips emitted a small snore. I knew why he lost it upstairs; his sister.

I looked around at the hundle of other campers next to each other. Holding and protecting one another. It was never like this back on the Ark.

Leaning my head back, I stared into the metal ceiling; thinking about the grounder's body strung up in chains.


	13. Chapter 13

When I awoke in the morning to the shuffling of boots, I wasn't surprised to find Bellamy gone. The second blanket had been pulled over my worn jeans and I threw them off.

Wrapping the blanket into a ball, I stored them with the rest in a metal box on the far side of the drop ship. The others were beginning to rouse themselves from their own slumber; it was still pretty early so the cool morning mist settled over the camp. Finn was lay on the metal table but with a blanket over his body when I descended the ladders. The dirty medical instruments had been cleared but he still looked like he was in pain; the constant crease in his forehead told me so.

I looked up at the hatch to the top floor where the grounder was and debated whether to check on him but something told me Bellamy was up there so I decided against it.

Instead,I strolled out the drop ship and watched as a couple of people killed the fire in the middle of camp as the sun rose, the air was humid but I knew it would be below freezing levels soon.

As if on point, I heard Clarke's voice through the thin walls of a tent. Her voice was clear and like normal she sounded stressed. I opened the tent flap and walked in. My footsteps froze when I saw her talking to nobody but to a camera on a make-shift table.

A screen had been opened and from the short distance I saw Jaha speaking via web cam to her. I gulped and backed away.

"Kora?" Clarke called out to me, confused at my retreat.

I shook my arms in a 'no' signal but it was too late. Jaha's voice spoke crystal clear at me.

"Kora Taylor? Clarke give me a minute with her alone."

Clarke looked at us both with a confused expression, she raised her eyebrow at me put left the tent. I had no doubt she'd probably be listening through the walls.

Hesitantly, I wandered in front of the web cam. He couldn't float me now we were on the ground but after Murphy I wasn't so sure.

"Sir?"

"You're crime was punishable by death Kora." He sighed, he rubbed his eyes with his hand for a second.

"I know chancellor but you have to understand-"

"I know what caused you do to do it."

"You do?"

"Yes, which is why you're crimes have been discharged."

"Really?"

"What really intrigued me is how you survived passed your 18th birthday without being captured."

"I can't tell you that sir."

He chuckled and sighed again. "I figured you'd say that. You're a spitting replica of your mother Kora."

The mention made me dart my eyes away from him and start fiddling with my long sleeved cotton shirt.

"I am sorry."

"It's fine chancellor."

We lapsed into a small comfortable silence for a second before Chancellor Jaha spoke up again. "How was my son down there?"

"He was- He was pretty good. Even went hunting a couple times." I forced a laugh and he gave a sad smile. The memory of Wells made a pang on my heartstring ignite.

"He always thought best of you and Clarke."

I shrugged at his words. "He was a good friend Chancellor. I'm sorry I couldn't-"

"None of it was your fault, don't worry." He shook his head and due to the poor quality of the web cam I couldn't really make out his facial expressions.

"I have to go now Chancellor." I said awkwardly. I didn't want to talk about Wells and I certainly didn't want to remember anything about the Ark.

"Before you go." Chancellor Kane's face came through the monitor and stopped my movements as I went to stand. "I was about to tell Clarke about a government base a couple of miles away from where you are. It had supplies, guns. Everything you need for winter."

"You want me to go and get them?" I said, trying to keep my cool. I felt nervous as he'd heard our whole conversation but he looked unfazed.

"Clarke seems pretty hands on right now and I've noticed she's distracted. I'm sure you'd be a better candidate for the job though."

"I'll see what I can do. Did you say weapons?"

"From the records here, it's a military base Miss Taylor. So you can protect yourselves from the survivors on the ground. These are the coordinates."

Great, the perfect fucking thing we needed right now were guns.

"Okay Chancellors. I'll head out in about an hour."

"Good. That's good. Thank you. I hope we can meet again soon." Kane said neatly.

Nodding, I rose properly and left the tent. A tall guy with short blond hair walked passed me and into the tent. I gave Clarke a look.

"They're speaking to their parents and family." She explained.

"Oh right. Well I'm heading out to the base in a bit so have you got everything sorted here?"

"You are?"

"Yeah. Jaha said you seemed stressed or something. You can come if you want."

"I'm not stressed." She snapped. Yeah right. "And it's fine, you can go. I'll stay and see if Finn gets any worse."

"Okay, that's great."

I picked up a jacket from a spare crate and huddled it over me.

"Are you going alone?" Clarke asked just as I was about to leave.

"Yes."

"Take Bellamy with you. He's still in the drop ship with the grounder and I don't want him to do anything else."

I huffed. "You did give him permission to torture the grounder."

"I know I did but just take him with you. I can't stand to have him in camp today."

Her tone of voice was demanding so I didn't answer back. Walking passed some construction on the camp wall, I ran into Bellamy with his hand tucked in his jacket pockets.

"Bellamy." I began. "You're coming with me to get some supplies."

"What?"

"Clarke doesn't want you in camp today so you're coming with me to find the supplies at an old miliatary base."

He looked back at the drop ship for a second then turned to me. "Fine, I'll be there in five."

We parted ways and I ran back to where the nuts and berries were being gathered. I picked up a red one and put it in my mouth, the flavor burst inside.

"Long time no see." Monty strolled up to where I was standing.

Playfully I rolled my eyes and chucked a berry at him. Jasper followed behind Monty and caught it in his mouth. I cheered and laughed.

"Good one." I applauded.

"We're pros." Jasper boasted.

"Wanna bet?"

"You're on."

I picked up another berry, blue this time, and threw it up in the air at the same time Jasper did. Opening my mouth, I caught it and Monty gave me a high five and booed Jasper when the berry bounced off his teeth and fell to the floor.

"Sore loser mate. Maybe next time."

"Damnitt."

I saw Bellamy out the corner of my eye in the ration crate and I headed over.

"Hey where you going?" Monty called after me.

I gave him a wave and pointed to the camp gates. "Getting supplies."

They shrugged and went back to throwing food at each other like a couple of wild animals.

I picked up a backpack which was empty and stuffed my small water canteen in. I noticed Bellamy shovelling dozens of packets of rations in his backpack.

"Hungry?"

He didn't answer but continued to pile them into his bag.

"Hey, I think that's enough. We're not going to be that long."

"Never know what will happen." He grunted.

He didn't meet my eyes and I didn't get chance to answer because he sped off ahead of me and into the forest.

I walked quickly out after him and held my backpack tight on my shoulders, I could feel the blade of the dagger digging into my skin but it wasn't enough to draw blood.

Jumping down off a fallen tree, I picked up the pace and fell in line next to him. "So then. What's got your grannypants in a twist?"

I heard him heave a sigh and give me a look. I held my hands up in defense.

"Sorry. Just trying to start a conversation."

Again no reply from him.

"The first drop ship will come down soon. Is that why you're so quiet?"

"The chancellor is going to come down and kill me."

"He isn't going to kill me so I don't think he'll kill you."

"It's different. I shot him, I don't think our relationship is exactly strong."

"Either way you won't be able to avoid him."

"I can try."

"Is that why you have so many rations?"

He slowed down with his walking for a second and his head finally snapped at me. "What?"

"Your rations." I pointed to his backpack. "You're going to leave camp aren't you?"

"How did you figure that out?"

"I'm not stupid."

He laughed lightly. "I know that."

We climbed up a soggy hill which was covered in morning dew and I looked across an old lake. Old crumbled building were fallen like soldiers in the far side.

"It should be here." I mumbled to myself.

"A door maybe?"

"Do you see a door?"

"Just go that way and I'll go this way. Shout for me if you find it."

I went left and my boots slipped on the mud slightly as I went. Secretly, I didn't want Bellamy to leave but I didn't want to admit that to anybody; especially Bellamy.

I travelled around the bottom of the hill and tripped over a handle sticking out the ground. I looked around quickly in embarassment before calling Bellamy down to come and open the locked hatch.

He skidded down the slippery slope and landed next to me. His broad shoulder accidentally knocked into mine.

"Have you got the hatchet?" I asked.

He bought out the axe and swung it forcefully against the trap door. A flutter of bird caws made me look around quickly. I had the strange feeling somebody was watching so I hurried in after Bellamy.

I choked on a musty cobweb as we entered. They littered the ceiling and the floors, making me cringe. Bellamy turned on a lamp and held it above his head. The natural lighting still flooded in however from behind us.

"Damn. This place hasn't been touched since the war." I said in awe.

"Kora." Bellamy called out, I turned and jumped back as he dangled a dead spider in front of my eyes. He chuckled and threw it to the floor whilst I shoved him.

"Don't do that." I snapped.

He handed me a light of my own and I followed him into the darkness of the base.


	14. Chapter 14

I gagged at the stench of must and stagnant water. "This is disgusting Bellamy."

"I know. Whatever Jaha told you isn't worth jack-shit now. It's all ruined."

"Speaking of Jaha-"

"I'm not talking to him either. I shot him and like I said, I doubt we'll get along."

I dodged the shallow dripping of water pouring out the leaking ceiling and shon my torch over the puddles on the floor.

"There's nothing here. No weapons. Nothing." I said confused.

Bellamy creaked open a metal crate and cracked two glow bands. He threw them into the far side of the dark tunnel. It was illuminated slightly but the only thing I could see were large canisters holding old water.

I huffed and pulled out a steel box. Opening the lid I found bright orange blankets clamped together tightly. "Blankets. This will help with winter."

"Brilliant." Bellamy said sarcastically.

"It's something I guess."

"I don't need 'I guess' I need weapons. Or at least a decent fucking tent." He raised his voice and stormed passed me, loudly opening the canisters peering inside the dark waters.

"Bellamy, calm down would you?"

In anger in kicked over the canister he was looking at and turned to march back out the base. A clatter made me look down at my feet where a bundle of guns had fallen from the barrel.

"Holy shit." I gasped.

Bellamy turned around slowly and hobbled over to where I was standing. He shone the light over the guns and hesitantly picked one up.

"Oh my god." He whispered, a smile finally covering his face. It was the first one I'd seen in what seemed like years.

"This is amazing. Are they loaded?"

He jolted one and listened to any sound rattling in them. The noise was like a breath of fresh air. "Holy crap." He laughed.

I didn't say anything but chose to watch him pull up a red sheet which had fallen on the ground. Using a dirty stone, he carved the letter 'x' into it and strung it up a couple of yards away.

"You had any practise with guns before?" He asked as he walked back.

I shook my head and balanced the large gun between my hands, it was heavy but my shoulders took the weight quite well.

"It's time you learned that right? I don't know about you but I'm sick of running from spears. Ready to be a badass Kora?"

"I thought I already was."

He smirked and popped some of Monty's berries into his mouth.

"Clarke isn't going to like this."

"Screw Clarke, this will help the whole camp."

"I thought you were planning on abandoning _the whole camp_."

He shrugged and stood behind me; hands on his hips and looking at the target he'd put together.

I pulled the gun up awkwardly and looked ahead of me. It jostled around against my side and I huffed. "Where do I put this?"

"On your shoulder, like that."

I moved it and tried to aim but it was clearly off balance. Bellamy stepped forward and steadied the gun so my eye line landed in the middle of the red 'x'. His large hand took the gun and positioned it so it hooked onto my shoulder perfectly.

I felt his long fingers touch the crook in my shoulder blade and push my body so it was angled right. My chest was pushed upwards against the cold metal of the gun and I swallowed. Concentrating on the gun instead of the feel of Bellamy's hand.

"Is this right?" I asked.

I could feel his soft gaze burning into my head for a second then he coughed awkwardly. "Uhm. Yeah, that's good."

His chest was nearly flaunting itself into my back and with my hair tied into a long ponytail, my brown hair wasn't covering my neck. His hot breath whispered into my skin, making me shiver slightly.

I shook my head and looked into the aim socket. Pressing down on the trigger at the same time as Bellamy moved away from me: I jumped slightly at the combined loss of body heat and the quiet bang of the bullet shooting out the gun and hitting the target.

It landed a couple of centimeters off and I let out a laugh. "Did you see that? I am pro as shit."

"Not bad. Try again."

"I've got this in the bag Bell. Let's see if you're any better first."

He smirked and aimed his long gun at the target. Without hesitation the bullet blasted out and hit the red sheet but it didn't hit the mark.

"Damn. Sadly, I am better." I teased.

"Hold on." He said seriously even though there was a smile on his dimpled face. "I can beat you, I was just testing."

"Sure you were."

Another bullet echoed inside the base and my mouth dropped at the hole in the middle of the target. He quirked an eyebrow at me and bowed playfully.

"After all we've been through." I joked.

"I'm just too good princess. Let's be honest here."

"I'll wrap that gun around your head if you don't stop boasting."

He laughed loudly and started hooking guns onto a green bag. I saw some ammo tucked into his pocket and flipped the gun over my shoulder.

"Shouldn't we put the ammo all together?" I asked.

"There's not enough room."

"Yes there is. Here." I reached out to open his backpack and a fully loaded rifle fell out. Confused I looked at him for a second, wondering why he didn't put it with the other guns. Then it hit me.

"You're still going aren't you?"

"I don't have a choice Kora."

"I thought you'd changed your mind. I only said that shit to you because I thought you were going to come back with me."

"Well you're wrong. I'm leaving the group. Miller can fill in for me."

"Are you stupid? Miller can't even distinguish left from right!"

"Yes he can. Stop overreacting."

"Overreacting?" I said breathlessly. "You're the leader. People look up to you."

"I'm a killer and the people will be fine without me. Just fucking drop it."

"You want me to drop it? Okay. Fine. Leave the group jackass. Take your shitty supplies." I threw his backpack at him and the box of ammo he'd stored on a shelf.

"Fine. Thank you for walking me out the door." He spat and started to walk away. His boots splashed the murky water on the floor as I saw his dark mop of hair swish underneath the red sheet and disappear.


	15. Chapter 15

I stared hard at the ground and gulped in frustration. I was fuming. Shoving a metal canister; I screamed out in frustration. I couldn't understand why I was so hurt by the thought of him leaving.

I swiped my hand along a shelf and pushed everything off. My backpack fell down off the top and the red berries Monty and Jasper had picked scattered along the floor. My breathing was fast and erratic as I bent down to pick them up. The strong waft of sweet honeysuckle emitted from the food. It was so intense it made me want to gag.

Picking one up, I sniffed it and the aroma of intoxicating fruit made me drop it. The smell was furiously beating at the inside of my brain. It was almost like a drug.

My mind snapped suddenly into action when I realized what the fruits were. We'd had them grown on the Ark. Known as nightlock they were a harmless berry which allowed the taker to become intoxicated or feel drowsy. They caused hallucinations and too many teenage cases had come into the sick bay ward having eaten them.

Thousands of thoughts ran themselves through my head, I felt myself become dizzy suddenly and I looked down at my feet. My black leather boots wobbled in my vision, the water soaked ground became a light grey colour. Like the Ark.

Suddenly I couldn't control myself, my feet moved on their own and I stumbled forward. Clutching onto a shelf. I looked up and nearly cried out when a figure appeared in front of me. Completely strewn out of my imagination.

"M-mom?" I called out.

The woman's long hair resembled mine, the soft smile glowing up her aura. "Hi baby." She cooed.

I reached out to grab her but my hands fell through nothingness. "This isn't real."

She smiled sadly and her hand ghosted through a couple of strands of hair which had fallen from my pulled back fringe. "No, it's not."

"I w-wish you were here." My voice dropped into a whisper so I wouldn't cry but my voice cracked nonetheless.

"I am here. That's how I'm standing in front of you. I'm in here Kora." She pointed her hand towards my heart and I shook my head. _This wasn't real. _

"Look at me Kora." My hallucinated mother spoke.

I shook my head and squeezed my eyes shut, trying to block her out.

"Look at me now." She spoke louder. When I didn't reply, I heard the subconscious scream around me, over and over. "Look at me when I am talking to you!" A deep voice boomed.

I snapped my eyes open in fear which I hadn't felt for years. The man stood in front of me, hs fist clenched like it always had been. Fresh, hot tears started to boil behind my eyes.

"You are worthless! Look at you." He screamed, imaginary spit fell from his mouth and onto the floor. "Pathetic. Just like your mother. Cowardly and completely pathetic."

I couldn't speak or move. My illusions had taken over me, I couldn't fight back.

The man hovered around me and if he were real I would've felt a finger crawl down my cheek as he shouted.

"Baby give so much to want to be loved. You crave it." He hissed into my ear. "And yet nobody will ever make you feel as if you mean anything."

I held my hands over my ears and crouched against the ground but the hallucinations pushed into my head.

"You covet yourself over the thought of being wanted. The Jasper boy you risked your life for will always put the Blake girl before you." Hundreds of voices called out into my mind and I bit down so hard on my bottom lip that I could taste blood.

"Monty will always pick Jasper over you." They continued. "Clarke will be so self absorbed in her mother's filthy secret that you could disappear and she wouldn't even give it a second thought."

I let out a whimper. "Stop."

A single voice called out of the darkness of my head and slithered into my body. "Oh, and the Bellamy boy? The selfish git is so self absorbed that you could be lay bleeding out against the floor and he would happily step his boot into you and crush the last of your existence."

I gasped and remembered Bellamy. Snapping my eyes open, I forced my arms to move, I dived off the dirty ground and fell into a run out of the base. I grabbed a loaded gun and sprinted into the forest. The voices vanished, the hallucinations disappeared. My tears swallowed themselves back up as I ran.

The fresh night air made me less drowsy and I became focused properly. Rain poured over me as I trudged through the soggy dirt. I heard a loud voice shouting not far and I started towards it.

The sound of the rain made it nearly impossible to hear much and I prayed it wasn't a grounder I'd heard.

Strapping the gun over my shoulder, I carefully peaked around a large moss covered tree. I stopped my gasp when I saw Dax, one of the other delinquents, with his gun pointed at Bellamy.

He wa lay on the floor in the mud, looking slightly disorientated. I stepped out from behind the tree and aimed my gun at Dax. Clicking the ammunition into place I spoke loud and clear.

"Dax. Put the gun down."

He turned and looked at me, then swiftly turned the gun in my direction. I fumbled with my grip slightly but stayed where I was.

"Kora. You don't need to get involved in this."

"Well I'm already involved now. It's too late."

"I wasn't going to kill you. I don't want to kill you. You're too much of a pretty face, I'd hate to put a bullet through it."

"Put the gun down Dax." I repeated louder. I glanced at Bellamy who was looking around the floor for any weapon.

"It's your decision." He finalized. As I went to press down on the trigger, Dax shot first. His aim was off but it didn't stop the bullet shooting through the top of my right shoulder.

Falling back, I cried out in pain as it rippled through me.

Hissing in agony, I ripped a strip of cloth from my top off and wrapped it under my arm and over the wound. Acting quickly, the blood loss wouldn't be too great.

I gripped my shoulder and crawled over to the gun I'd dropped. I heard Bellamy let out a growl as he lunged for Dax, throwing him to the side with his power.

The wrestled along the floor and Dax had Bellamy underneath him. Punching Bellamy with the hard gun. His nose became bloody and his cheeks fumed with blood.

My laboured breathing made it nearly impossible for me to call out. I couldn't reach far enough to get the gun but Bellamy got there first.

He stabbed Dax in the neck with a long gold bullet so the only sound you could hear was the gargling of Dax as he scrambled his hands against his collar.

I was close enough now to grab Bellamy from underneath Dax and pull him out. His hands grabbed my elbows and fell down to my waist where he pulled us both over to the front of the tree I'd hidden behind.

Wincing, I touched Bellamy's face as he stared straight ahead. His eyes widened as he repayed the events.

"Bell?" I whispered. "Are you okay?"

With his shoulders slumped and his head left hanging, he looked like a fallen solider. "No, I'm not."

Comfortingly I moved a strand of his matted hair off his damp forehead and then let my hand drop to the ground.

"My mother." His voice cracked. "If she'd knew what I'd done. Who I am."

Hot tears were in his eyes, like he was completely broken. It was painful to sit and watch.

"She raised me to be better-"

"Bellamy-" I whispered tragically.

"-now all I do is hurt people." he sniffed loudly. "I'm a monster."

"Bellamy. My father was a monster. That's why I'm a murderer. I killed him."

His dark eyes shook with tears and I continued.

"He used to beat the shit out of my mom. Used to steal my rations, then fuck my mom over when she tried to feed me. The extra tokens got him alcohol which is what he loved."

"Did he ever hurt you?"

"Once. When I was 17. My mom came back to the cabin and next thing you know: she's dead." I took a shaky breath. "I lost it I guess. Stabbed the bastard. I can't even remember it that much."

He looked at me for a second and I smiled sadly. "He was a monster Bellamy. I've been to hell and I know what a monster is. You are not one."

I moved painfully so I was closer and wrapped my substantially smaller hands around his. I gripped onto it despite the clammyness of us both. Rubbing circles over the skin, I placed a hand to his cheek with my other hand.

"You saved my life Bellamy." I said soothingly. "I may treat you like shit but trust me I know what a monster is. You're no monster."

He looked down at our entwined hands and sniffed again. A couple of tears falling.

"Bellamy we all need you. The group needs you. They don't follow Clarke or Miller. They follow you."

He looked up at me for a second and I inhaled sharply.

"Bell, I need you." I admitted softly. "I need you."

His head fell onto my shoulder and exhaustion completely overtook him. The blood was drying and his lips were parted with his hard breathing.

"No more running." I said. "Please, come back with me."

I weaved my fingers into his and tightened them together. He responded this time and squeezed back.

"Okay."

It was quiet and barely audible against his swollen lips and I lowered my lips to the side of his mouth. Where I planted a small kiss to the corner. Even with it swollen I could tell his lips were soft.

"Whenever you're ready to face Jaha. It's going to be okay."

I couldn't help the small smile on my face at Bellamy's reaction. His eyes were widened slightly and as I turned away to prepare myself for the walk back to camp I swear I saw him reach up to touch the corner of his mouth.


	16. Chapter 16

"Bellamy could you tell Miller to stop wasting the food rations." I called over to him. He stopped in his tracks and gave me a curt nod. I watched as he walked away and headed over to where Miller was opening another packet of dried fruit.

I was more than surprised by Bellamy's behaviour over the past few days. He seemed relaxed almost, even with the fact the grounder had _escaped._ Truthfully I knew what had happened but for Octavia's sake I hadn't said a word.

My shoulder, now bandaged and rubbed with ointment, was healing slowly. It ached when I moved it quickly but the bullet only skimmed the top of my shoulder narrowly.

The weather was slightly crisp with a cold morning chill in the air.

With a firm grasp on the freshly washed bundle of clothes under my arm, I pushed my way towards Raven. Dozens of others were huddled around the tiny web cam as Jaha's voice projected it's way across us all.

"What's happening?" I asked Raven awkwardly with my arms full of clothes.

"It's Unity Day. He's giving the speech."

I felt the tension growing in her when she spoke. From her refusal of eye contact I gathered it was about Finn and Clarke.

"-next year, on the ground." Jaha finished with a smile. The crackled clapping in the background made me remember the hundreds still aboard the Ark. It was almost surreal.

"After we did all the work." Miller said hautily. He looked a little pissed, probably from being told he couldn't eat anymore food.

"Shut it Miller. Nobody's forcing you to watch." Raven counteracted.

I looked out the corner of my eye and saw Finn finally out the drop ship. He stood with a tiny frown on his face whilst he spoke to Clarke. Raven looked at the same time I did when Clarke walked away.

I gave her a shrug and carried the drying clothes inside the drop ship; walking passed Finn.

"You alright? How's it healing?" I asked as I walked by; gesturing his chest.

"It's good. Thanks by the way."

"For what?"

"Doing all this stuff to help with the camp."

"It's mainly Clarke but I'll take credit anyway." I laughed. I looked around and I couldn't help the huge smile coming up onto my face as we watched Jasper run into the middle of camp cheering to himself.

"Call this batch Unity juice." He yelled triumphantly. The swarm of campers around him chugged the drink he'd concocted down their throats.

"What is that?" I asked unsure.

"Alcohol. Or what I assume is alcohol." Finn replied.

I shook my head and left him to wallow in frustration against the whole Unity Day party. Throwing the clothes over a metal rod inside the drop ship, Monty came in holding a cup of Jasper's beverage.

He glugged it down and held the cup out to me. "Want some? It's not as bad as you think."

"How's it taste?"

"It burns your throat a little but it tastes pretty sweet." He said calmly.

I took the metal cup and sniffed it before taking a sip. Like Monty said it burned a river down my throat then landed softly in my stomach.

"Not bad." I shrugged, handing it back.

"Go and get some more. It is Unity Day after all."

"I have stuff to do Monty." I sighed.

"Come on Kora. It's only one day. Then maybe some more tonight but you'll survive." He joked.

I hesitated and picked up a spare metal cup from an almost empty crate. "I'll have some later. I promise."

"You better keep that promise then Kora." He warned playfully and walked out the drop ship.

"Will do."

.

I shrugged my jacket off as I grew hotter. It was dark so I had to squint to see what I was doing. I was sat atop the fence around the camp, fixing a hole in the wall. Throwing my jacket onto the ground I heard someone curse.

"What the fuck."

"Sorry." I called down as I twirled the wire using my fingers.

"Princess?" Bellamy called up in confusion. He was holding my jacket in his large hands.

"I was just fixing the fence." I explained. "I didn't mean to throw my jacket on you."

"It's fine. You're not going to celebrate?" He said motioning towards the crowd of dancing drunks next to the camp fire.

"I promised Monty I'd have a drink but I don't know."

"Monty? Oh right. I'll go get him if you want instead." He coughed awkwardly and started to walk away.

"Hey wait! You don't have to go. I didn't want a drink with Monty."

"So you're not drinking at all?"

"Probably not. What about you? It doesn't look like you've drank anything either."

"True. How about you get a drink if I get one?"

"Deal." I said climbing down the fence.

"You shouldn't be this far away from the group when it's dark." He commented.

"I wasn't that far. It was fine."

"Just be careful."

"Does the king actually care about his fellow citizen?"

"God no." He scoffed.

I shrugged and poured some alcohol into my cup and did the same to Bellamy. He immediately bought it up to his lips and gulped it down. I laughed and re-filled his cup.

"Are you trying to get drunk?"

"Yep." He said swiftly.

The loud laughter and shouts around me added to the aroma of delusional drunks. I looked in the direction of the banging of drums. A group of guys had started to beat the drum skin to a quick rhythm.

Cheers surrounded a small wooden table and I pulled Bellamy over to it so he wasn't left alone at the edge of camp.

"Kora!" Miller shouted to me and I raised a hand, giving him a fist pump.

"Miller my main man. What's up?"

"You see if you can get the coin into the bowl. If you can then you get to take a shot." He explained.

"Sounds fun. Bell? Do you think you can beat me?" I tested.

He gave me a look and a small shove. "You're so on."

Smiling, I stood on one side of the table and Bellamy on the other. I quirked an eyebrow and he balanced the metal make shift coin on his nose. It fell perfectly and he took his shot without leaving my eye contact.

Looking away, I placed the coin on my nose and let it drop. It landed on target and Miller cheered to me. He hooked an arm round my shoulder as I drank the alcohol. I didn't say anything even though the weight was slightly overbearing.

Bellamy's gaze switched from Miller to me and he looked slightly pissed as the coin landed again and he drank the shot.

When the coin missed the bowl, Miller booed and patted my head. "No problem Kora. Here have a kiss instead." He went down to place a sloppy alcohol ridden kiss against my cheek and I squirmed away.

"You're drunk Miller."

"You're right m'lady. How about when I'm sober? I can kiss you all I want then right?"

Before I could reply, I heard the sound of metal against metal clanging. The bowl and cup had cluttered to the floor and all I could see was Bellamy stalking away from the table.

"Whoa." Miller said. I could smell the alcohol in his breath. "Any-who how about a kiss?"

Shaking my head I pointed at a girl who was sat alone. "How about you go and talk to her instead I'm going to see where Bell went."

Miller clapped his hands together and smiled happily. I didn't want to know how much he drank but at least he was happy. I watched as he skipped over to the girl and gladly take a seat beside her. She flashed him a smile.

Turning away I went to follow Bellamy. Confusion settled over me at his behaviour.

I stopped in my tracks when I saw him in a deep conversation with Clarke. He looked angry as she spoke to him, their conversation serious.

I stayed where I was, in the middle of the dirt path.

Clarke finalised their conversation and turned to walk away. Bellamy looked around and saw me, our eyes met for a second but I Clarke had already come in front of me.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Bellamy hesitate then walk away back to the drunken group behind me.

Crossing my arms in front of Clarke, I gave her all my attention. "What's up?"

"Finn's arranged a meeting with the grounders."

"He what?"

"I'm going to meet with their leader. I want you to be there next to me."

"Okay." I said slowly. "Does Bellamy know?"

"He's taking Jasper and a few others to follow us. Make sure nothing happens."

"Finn doesn't know that does he?"

"No, and we need to keep it that way."

I nodded quickly. "Okay. I'll do it."

"Great. We're leaving now."

"Rright now?"

"It'll take us a while to get there. Finn's taking us."

"Okay, I'll get my backpack."

"Meet me at the entrance."

I left her with an unsure vibe rattling around the cage of my lungs. Probably the alcohol but I found my thoughts distracted by Bellamy's outburst.

.

I kept glancing behind me for glimses of Bellamy or Jasper but I couldn't see anything as we trudged through the forest.

The little amount of alcohol I had in my system had vanished and my head was slightly clearer as the sun started to rise through the ark treeline. Finn, just ahead, walked beside Clarke. Their proximity was close. Painfully so, it was as if he was keeping a guard on her.

My mind wandered to Raven and I'd heard that she was coming with Bellamy to follow us. For her sake I prayed she didn't see any of this.

Finn picked up his pace and from our long silence all you could hear was running water; like a swift river close by.

As the last person to make it through to the clearing of the forest, I was surprised to see an old metal bridge lay out ahead of me. The moss had overgrown in an almost aerie artistry over the rods holding it in place.

I smiled when my eyes met Octavia's, her forehead was slightly bloodied from a fall but it didn't look too bad.

"Is he alright?" I asked her casually.

"Yeah I got him out okay." She replied.

Clarke looked between us for a second. "You knew about this?"

"I mean I kind of guessed." I shrugged.

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"Octavia trusts him and last time I checked she wasn't too fond of many people."

The comment made Octavia crack a smile but Clarke still looked pissed. I was beyond caring at the moment. My depravity for sleep left my muscles sore and my head banging.

"Someone's coming." Finn looked behind Octavia and I watched her run forward to meet the figure jogging at us. His tall dark frame was obvious.

They collided into a hug, Octavia reaching up behind his neck as his arms swooped around her whole body.

I rolled my weight onto my one foot and sighed when Octavia walked passed us with the grounder by her side.

"Been busy?" I whispered to her. She gave me a tiny smile but it vanished at the clatter of loud hooves, like a heartbeat against the ground.

A group of night dark horses ran up to the opposite side of the bridge and stood in an intimating stance. Staring at us.

"Whoa." I whispered in awe.

Clarke stepped forward and I turned to see her release Clarke's hand. In the faint background I saw a minute shuffle in the trees. _Bellamy._

I looked away quickly and watched Clarke hesitantly take a step forward then march towards the grounders. A tall women with a pinched face dropped from her horse and walked towards her.

The black eye make up was intimidating but Clarke didn't back down. Suited with a long leather coat and black scruffy boots: she looked like a leader.

Their conversation was faint as they were distanced some few yards away but we caught glimpses of it.

"You started a war you don't know how to end." The leaders deep voice snapped.

"No. You don't understand." Clarke tried to protest.

I squinted at the trees behind them and looked around at my surroundings. The river was quick and beating hard against the rocks beneath the bridge. The noise was relaxing compared to the circumstances.

"-our technology. They will wipe you out. We can help, we have medical training; medicine and supplies."

I tilted my head up when Clarke motioned towards me, medicine was my strong area but I didn't want to be called out about it.

The air became distractedly quiet for a moment and I jumped when I heard Jasper scream.

"Clarke run!" He shouted from behind us.

All of our heads snapped at Jasper's screaming and I fell to the floor to protect myself from the hoard of bullets firing overhead. A spear shot itself beside my leg and I scrambled away from it quickly. Confusion was pumping away and fear was running unlike myself.

Looking up in alarm, I saw Finn pulling Clarke away from the fire of sharp arrows cascading themselves down the bridge.

My boots slipped on the soggy ground and I fell down again, crunching my hands into the hard gravel. "Shit." I cried out.

The swish of arrow made high squeaky noises in my ears and I tripped, trying to get up again. I saw the grounder push Octavia out of the arrows path and shield her body with his. The arrow plunged into him and combined with the booming of bullets all I could do was panic and continue to skid along the floor.

"Lincoln no!" I heard Octavia scream.

The others pelted there way into the forest and I felt a large hand pulling me off the ground. Looking up I saw the grounder or _Lincoln _hoisting me off the ground. My eyes went to the arrow in his chest but he took off into the forest opposite without another word.

I ran, trying to keep my lungs from bursting out my chest. The others were gone and I stopped in my tracks. Spinning around a couple of times in the dense forest.

I nearly screamed when a rough hand reached out and grabbed mine. Bellamy pulled me along quickly and I gripped him tighter when I realized it was him.

"I thought you'd all left me." I huffed as we ran. The gun was clanging on his back, all attention trained on getting back to camp. We jumped over fallen trees and odd roots.

"Not me." He replied.


	17. Chapter 17

"Come on Kora." Bellamy huffed as we ran. My legs were burning furiously as I slammed my feet to the ground.

Bellamy let go of my hand finally as we skidded into the clearing in front of the camp gates. The torches overhead illuminated all of our bodies and we caught our breath.

Finn looked up at Bellamy and clenched his jaw.

"Got something to say?" Bellamy snapped.

"Yeah. I told you no guns." Finn shouted to him and Clarke.

Clarke stood her ground and replied to his distress. "I told you we couldn't trust the grounders. I was right."

"Jasper fired the first shot!"

Octavia, with hot tears threatening to spill over her eyes, glared at Jasper. "You ruined everything." She croaked and turned to run back into her tent.

Jasper ran after her but she seemed unforgiving at this point.

I stumbled away from them, neither caring or bothering to say goodnight. Strolling into camp, I kicked some dirt into the raging fire.

As I was about to pull back the red curtain to enter the drop ship, I heard a cackling noise above me. Looking up my eyes widened at what looked like a drop ship falling to the ground.

_The Exodus ship and Abby._

It fell further and quicker towards the ground. A blazing fire shooting sparks from behind it. My heart dropped and I looked away from it before it collided with the ground and ran full force outside the camp gates.

I grabbed Clarke before she fell to her knees in shock and held her to me. Enveloping my arms around her. The grief and realization was overwhelming.

I rocked her as she gasped through her falling tears. Almost like a mothering instinct took over, I could feel her pain rattling through her and quietly I wanted to sob myself into the ground. I wanted to mourn over Abby but I couldn't.

"Okay." I whispered soothingly. "It's okay."

Pulling her up, I looped my arm underneath hers and helped tug her to her tent. Catching Bellamy's eye as I walked passed, he was silent for once.

When we finally entered her tent, she collapsed on her bed and curled into a ball against the covers. I untied her soggy boots and placed them next to her. Pulling the covers out from under her body, I lifted them and tucked them tightly around her.

"I'll fix the hole in the fence tomorrow for you. Sleep in for a bit." I assured her.

She glanced at me and nodded. "I'm going to the wreckage tomorrow."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive." She finalized, her voice shook at the beginning but she held it.

.

I wrung my hands in the fresh water canister and wiped them on my jeans, anxiety was my top priority. The fear that something was going to happen hovered over me like a dark storm cloud.

"Kora. Have you patched up the hole yet?" A dirty blond boy came up to me and motioned towards the wall.

"I have." I assured him, I felt rude as I had no idea who he was. "I'm sorry but who are you?"

"Oh. I'm Noah." He smiled, a large crater of a dimple dented his cheek.

He stuck his hand out vigorously and I glanced at it for a second before shaking it.

It was a little quieter in camp. The others had left earlier this morning, taking a couple dozen as back up. Bellamy refused point blank to let me come, I would've argued but I was too tired to answer back.

As it was late afternoon, the fire had been lit once again and a large carcass was roasting against the hot flames. I gave Noah an awkward smile and left him alone; I walked up to Monty who was sat looking out across the outside of the camp.

"Hi bud." I greeted him.

"Hey."

"What's up?"

Monty turned and looked at Jasper who was sat boasting around the deep fire; flocked with girls.

I scoffed and bit into my nail to stop myself laughing too loud.

"The fame has gone to his pretty little head." I sighed as Octavia thumped herself down next to me.

"Who?" She asked casually look over my shoulder at what I assumed to be the outside world.

"Jasper." Monty and I replied at the same time.

Octavia looked at Jasper as he flicked his hair back, focusing all his flirtatious attention onM the group of girls in front of him.

"Fear is the enemy." He said sharply.

Rolling my eyes, I turned away and covered my ears.

"That's Finn's line." Octavia sighed.

"I know." Monty confirmed.

"It was like nothing I'd ever felt. You know? Pure animal instinct took over. One pull of the trigger? Two grounders dead." Jasper said, dramatically casting his eyes down to the fire.

I rolled my own and gave Octavia a look.

"It's either killed or be killed. That tip of the spear-"

Octavia looked between me and Monty and gave us a bored expression. "This has to stop."

Monty had a satisfied smile on his face and he held his arm out to stop her. "Give him this. He'll probably never have the opportunity to ever again."

I stifled my giggle as Monty gestured to Jasper.

"Look at him. That boy's a hero. We even got a bigger tent." He boasted.

"No way." I said suddenly. "I don't even have a tent."

"Where do you sleep then?"

"In the drop ship."

I jumped in alarm when a loud clanging halted Jasper's dramatized speech. The whole camp froze and snapped their heads to the gates.

"Somebody hit the trip wires!" Jasper shouted.

Two boys ran up ahead and aimed their newly loaded guns in the direction of where the noise came from.

"Grounders?" Monty asked me quickly.

I didn't answer and carefully stepped outside the gates. Octavia ran ahead, I heard her whisper the word _Lincoln_ to herself.

A couple of others held torches high above our heads in the dark as we quietly tip toed our way to the trip wires.

I slowed my pace down behind Octavia when I saw the outline of a body on the floor huddled against a tree.

I held my breath in fear when she reached down to touch the figure. At the graze of her fingertips they shot away and stumbled down the small hill behind them. I realized it was a boy, the matted hair and build gave it away.

He whimpered when the torch shone over his body illuminating the cuts and wounds over his body. My stomach dropped as he held a shaking hand up in surrender.

"Oh my god." I whispered in shock.

I stepped forward and reached a hand out but he jerked away. The blood, both dry and wet, was etched on his pale face. He smelled of sweat and blood.

"We need to get him into the drop ship."

"What about Bellamy?" Miller asked hesistantly.

I didn't say anything and carefully hoisted his beaten arm over my shoulder. Octavia grabbed his other arm and we slowly made our way back into camp.

The others stared at his quite limp body as we basically dragged him into the drop ship. He pushed himself out of our arms, squirming away from human contact.

Falling to the floor, he back cam against a wall and he held his shaking hands together whilst he rocked. Balled up into himself he looked like he had lost his mind.

I crouched down next to him with a bowl of luke-warm water next to me. Despite the ever-growing hatred, I wasn't going to let him suffer.

Everybody had crammed into the drop ship after us, trying to peak at Murphy. Octavia handed me a clean cloth.

As I was about to dab the wet cloth to his open cut a deep voice spoke in the silence.

"Where is he?" Bellamy said quickly.

He stopped in his tracks and his dark eyes widened at the sight of a trembling Murphy on the ground.

"Everybody out, except Connor and Derek out." He roughly spoke. The others mumbled in disagreement but followed his orders.

"He claimed he was with the grounders." Derek said, looking down at Murphy with disgust.

"We caught him trying to sneak back into camp." Conner added.

I looked away from everyone and my eyes widened when Murphy's voice cracked against his damaged throat. "I wasn't trying to sneak back in. I was running from the grounders."

Bellamy, holding his gun against his chest turned to us. "Anyone see grounders?"

"No." I told him.

"Well in that case." Bellamy held the gun up, pointed at Murphy.

I moved in front of him. "Don't." I argued.

He looked pissed at my answering back but Finn intervened. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"We were clear-"

"No. If he was with the grounders then he knows things that can help us."

"Help us? We hanged him, we banished him and now we're going to kill him."

"Bellamy. Stop." I snapped.

He silenced when I spoke and his mouth stuttered for words. Clarke crouched down next to me and examined Murphy's beaten body.

She held his hand in her and looked at his raw fingers. "They tortured him."

"What did you tell them about us?" Bellamy demanded him angrily.

Swallowing, Murphy's voice shook. His bloodied eyes were almost sealed due to being beaten. "Everything."

I shared a look of worry with Clarke and gently took his blood ridden hand into mine. He tried to open his eyes to look at me. "They asked- asked if we had medicine." He coughed. "I told them about you."

I dropped his hand and swallowed trying to say something but Bellamy's voice boomed behind me. I whipped my head round at the loud scuffling of boots as Finn held Bellamy back.

"You what?" He shouted.

"I had no choice." Murphy croaked.

"What did you fucking say?" Finn pushed against Bellamy's towering frame as he continued to scream.

Abruptly, I stood up from Murphy and pushed Bellamy's chest away. "Bell. He's just playing, they don't know who I am."

He looked down at me, his breathing laboured then to Murphy. "If they come for her. I will rip your head from your body myself."

He pushed himself away from me and angrily stormed out the drop ship. I dropped my hand and it fell to my side.


	18. Chapter 18

Rolling my neck on my shoulders a little, I loosened the crick in my neck. The fear that Murphy would climb up and suffocate me to death was off putting.

I walked passed Murphy who was sleeping against the wall we'd left him at last night. He was huddled in the same position; his breathing laboured due to being swollen.

I strolled out the gates of the camp and hurried to the waterfall to wash before anyone else arose. It was dead silent and my skin prickled with goosebumps against the chilly morning air.

Scrubbing beneath my fingernails, I swallowed the gag at them caked in Murphy's blood, I rubbed my skin raw with washing. Almost frantically even though all of his blood was gone.

As I changed, my fingers skimmed over old bruises and the healing scab on my shoulder from the bullet. They were aging, the bruises, so I left them and tied my hair into a ponytail: not bothering to wash it today.

Humming to myself, I walked casually back to camp. Only gone less than an hour, I didn't expect much to have happened but I nearly dropped my backpack when I heard Clarke shouting my name. I ran through the gates as her eyes darted around looking for me.

I looked around, everyone seemed to have risen but they were falling to the ground. A group held up Connor who was trying to stop the blood pouring out his nose.

He coughed and spurted blood from his mouth, falling to the ground and choking. I sprinted up to him and held his shoulder. Clarke gave him a rag to hold to his mouth.

"What's happening?" I asked quickly. My eyes widened in shock to see Clarke stood with bloody tears running streaks down her face.

"The grounders." She cried. Confusion and panic blurred my senses for a second.

I followed her into the drop ship where Murphy was coughing up his stomach contents over the floor. His mouth was covered in hot thick blood and it dripped in the saliva as he hung his head low.

"Murphy? How did you escape? Tell me, how did you get away?" Clarke begged him suddenly. I left her to it, putting the puzzle pieces together in my mind.

Meanwhile, I pulled out a metal bench on the other side of the drop ship. Taking out metal bowls and lining them up along a shelf, I grabbed the newly washed rags and towels.

"When I woke up. They forgot to lock my cage." He spluttered through tiny gasps. "So I took off."

I squeezed my eyes as I imagined the horrors he's endured. "Clarke." I called out to her. "You know what this means right?" I walked forward and helped her up from the ground just as Bellamy walked in. His eyes, like mine, became large at the sight of Murphy in the pool of his own blood.

"Bellamy. Don't come any closer." I warned him.

"Has he hurt you?"

I shook my head. "No."

"What the hell?"

Clarke shood her head, her skin was deathly pale. "It's biological warfare. They let him go, to infect us."

A group of campers dragged Connor into the drop ship. He slid down the wall, choking on his own lungs.

Clarke went over and placed a cool damp rag to his forehead whilst I dabbed Murphy's cut along his eyebrow line. He didn't flinch once, like he was used to the pain.

"Is this payback?" Bellamy accused Murphy loudly.

"I swear I didn't know about this, I swear-"

"Stop lying! When are they coming?"

Clarke turned away from Miller and pleaded to Murphy. "Please, if you know anything, tell us."

"They are viscious. Cruel." Murphy said lowly.

"You wanna see viscious?" Bellamy threatened. He stepped forward towards where I was sat in front of Murphy. I stood up and dropped the blood soaked towel.

"Bellamy, stop." I warned. He stayed back and hesitated slightly.

Finn ran in and called Clarke's name, he looked at her ill figure.

"What is this?"

"Some kind of fever-"

In an instant, Derek fell to the floor and started to thrash around consciously. His whole body jolted against the steel floor, his head banging on the metal. He wobbled onto his hands and knees and gagged out the contents of his stomach and bloodstream.

"Bellamy get out of here." I snapped as I shoved passed him to get Derek. He didn't even glance up at me as Derek choked on the floor.

I crouched down as Derek collapsed onto his chest and into the pool of blood. Pulling his head back, all I could see was the whites of his eyes. Frozen open in his last moments.

"Is he?" Bellamy croaked.

I sighed and dragged my hands down my face. "Dead? Yeah. Clarke?" I turned to her as she poured alcohol on Finn's hands. "What do we do?"

"We quarantine. Get everyone away from those who show sign of infection or contact with Murphy."

I stayed inside the drop ship and checked my pulse for any erratic heart beats but it was normal.

"Kora, who helped carry Murphy in?" Clarke demanded as I turned back to her.

I looked at Bellamy and sighed. "Octavia. She helped me carry him in."

With my words, Bellamy ran out and left to find Octavia. I looked at Clarke and she shrugged at me before carrying a small canister of water over to a bench.

I dipped my hands in the alcohol and dried them off as floods of campers came in. Some holding one another before they fell down and others practically crawling from the pain.

Clarke handed me an electric solar torch as I began sitting people down to be examined. Noah sat in front of me and smiled. I returned it slightly and patted his shoulder.

"Go to the third floor. You aren't showing symptoms but we've got to be safe. Take Octavia with you." I gestured to her as she walked away from Clarke and started up the ladder.

Bellamy covered his mouth with a slightly clean rag and glanced at me for a second before stalking out the drop ship. Octavia nodded to Clarke and I watched, confused as she scurried out quietly.

"What's that all about?" I asked Clarke once she'd left.

"I've sent her to go and get a cure."

"Lincoln?"

"He's the only grounder we can trust. Hey wait, you don't have any symptoms. Are you sure you want to stay?"

Nodding, I got back to work and hoisted Connor onto a pile of blankets. I placed a bowl down next to him and a wet cloth on his burning forehead. He had broken out in a sweat and exhaustion had taken over him.

Looking around as Clarke helped settle some of the others down to rest for a while, a ginger-haired girl fell to the ground as she spluttered her last breath with blood.

"Miller, can you carry her outside with the others?" I asked him sadly.

All he could do was nod and lift her up gently. Holding her like she was a fragile bird about to take flight except she wasn't. She was dead, like the others.

I shook my head and followed them outside as the placed her down on a sheet of scrap tent. The uninfected stood in a group far away from the drop ship, staring us down like we were dirt, as if we'd choke on our own blood at their feet.

Bellamy stood in front of them all and watched me and I closed the girl's eyelids.

Clarke wobbled out of the drop ship, her whole aura made her look like she was drunk. Her eyes swayed to the side as Bellamy asked how much food we had left inside.

I'd taken my first step towards the drop ship entrance when a retched gag sounded behind Bellamy. My hand came to my mouth as a girl spluttered her blood over a group of others, they gagged and tried to wipe it from their eyes.

All hell broke loose as people started pointing their guns at each other, they screamed at the ones who cowered over in their own vomit and agony.

I rushed inside, blocking out the sounds and digging myself into working with some of the infected prisoners. Murphy was asleep on one of the first beds made for the infected, a white pillow behind his head.

Coughs and splutters weren't that bad but the stench of the metallic taste of blood was overwhelming.

"Is she okay?" I exclaimed as Finn hurried in holding a barely conscious Clarke. Her arm flopped over his grip on her.

I felt movement next to me and was surprised to see Murphy move out of his hung up bed to make room for her. He plonked himself down on the opposite wall and closed his eyes again.

I handed Clarke a beaker of water and listened to Octavia as she spoke to us.

"They're attacking at first light Kora." She said.

"But we haven't prepared. All of our people are sick."

"Lincoln told me it doesn't last long, I think we just need to take it as it comes."

I couldn't help but agree and let out the breath I was holding at the good news.

"Okay, Finn you need to stay in here. You've touched Clarke."

"I would've stayed anyway." He said.

I inwardly cringed at his indirect words but let him help Clarke. I handed metal cup to Octavia as she told Clarke she'd help with whatever work she needed to do today.

Octavia walked passed me and I heard Murphy stand to help her. Glancing at him, I gave Finn a worried look; still not trusting the shit out of Murphy.

As I went back to Clarke to help, I saw they were having a moment so I retreated awkwardly back to a group of coughing teens. They were lounged over each other oddly, craning their necks so they could breathe without choking on their own blood.

"Come on guys." I reassured them, pulling a couple up. The stumbled but I smiled with patience; making sure each one was position comfortably underneath a warm blanket with thermal heat.

I turned and called out to Finn who was hurriedly leaving the drop ship. "Where are you going?"

"We're not going to survive this. I've got an idea."

"Wait what?"

"A bomb Kora. We're going to build a bomb." He said quickly and my mouth dropped in shock.

"Do we even know how to make one?" I shouted but he was already passed the red sheet and into the inevitable.

Murphy got up and stalked towards a lone girl on the ground, the skin under her nose was tainted red from a nose bleed and the whites of her eyes were dark. Bending down he patted a wet cloth over the dried blood to get rid of it, He noticed me watching him and turned around.

"What?"

I shook my head. "Nothing."

"I know- I know I've fucked up."

I gave an incoherent grumble and he grimaced.

"I'm trying to help here." He motioned to the sick around us and I shrugged at him.

"Okay." I crossed my arms. The girl started choking and I motioned to her. "Turn her on her side." I said quickly.

He did so and she vomited blood and gore into the metal dish. He gave me a look and I nodded in appreciation. There we stayed for hours; wiping the blood from vomiting teenagers and soothing the sobbing campers as they moaned in pain.

For once, I actually felt like Murphy was becoming a _decent guy_.

Brushing off my sore hands, I stretched my back in exhaustion. My legs ached as I walked around the drop ship. Checking my pulse again, there was no fluxuation so, like Octavia, I must've been immune.

My heart dropped when two boys dragged Bellamy into the level. His boots slipped against the floor like he had no energy to even stand.

"Oh my god Bellamy." The words slipped out before I could react properly.

I looked around at the packed area and clapped my hands together. "Alright, make some room." I snapped frantically. A couple of the infected groaned but shifted, I lay out a thick bed roll mat and grabbed a fluffed up pillow from the shelf.

His head fell back and I felt sick with worry as his throat sounded clogged with each breath. Grabbing an empty bowl, I pushed the two boys who bought him in out.

He coughed and spluttered and I grabbed his shoulder rolling him onto his side. His usually tan complexion was paler and his freckles barely visible.

I held him as he choked up the blood onto his side, the red liquid pouring out. "Bell, it's okay." I said softly, coaxing his state.

His forehead was beaded with sweat and I gently pulled him so he was lay on his back, his eyebrows were furrowed as he breathed in and out.

"K-Kora?" He choked.

"It's me. You're okay." I smiled warmly.

"I'm scared." He whispered.

My hand came out automatically and I laced my fingers through his clammy ones. The cold sweat was a sign the infection was trying to rid itself of his body.

"I'm here, you don't need to be." Smoothing his hair down calmly, the left over blood created vein like patterns over his face and chin.

"Where's Octavia?"

"She's safe."

"Okay." His deep voice shook and I held his hand squeezed mine tightly.

Wiping the cloth over his sweat-ridden forehead, I felt his gaze on me and I looked at his face fully.

He swallowed and breathed out of his mouth as his nose was blocked with blood. "Please stay. Don't leave me."

My whole body lurched in mental agony, it was confusingly painful to see this. "I won't. I promise, I won't leave you."

"Please." He choked.

"I promise, I'll be here."

He fluttered his eyes closed, still clutching my hand over his heart. His neck was covered in sweat and blood. I watched the abnormal rising and falling of his chest as he tried to breathe.

Looking up, I saw Murphy give a small smile and point to some other infected kids. I gave him a slight 'thank you' as he treated them for me.

Hovering a hand for a second hesitantly, I ran my hand through Bellamy's hair soothingly. Quietening his whimpers and jolts as the nightmares plagued his dreams. I began to hum a foreign melody I'd heard when I was only a child. The notes weren't too pitchy but it was the best I could do under the circumstances.

Soon his breathing evened and his grip on my hand loosened as he fell asleep, I stared at his dreaming face, I didn't know what I _felt_ at that point.


	19. Chapter 19

My back was against the metal wall behind me, my arm held out as Bellamy still clung to my hand. I'd gotten used to the splutters and coughing of those around, occassionaly watching Murphy as he moved onto each one.

Murphy walked up to where I was sat and touched my shoulder lightly. His eyes were open wide, the swelling retreated.

"You should get up and stretch your legs for a bit."

"I'm fine here. Honestly."

"Please, after my night on the floor. I can tell what's going to happen if you stay there."

"Okay, have you got this?"

"Yup. I can handle this."

"Thank you." I said kindly, I yawned and arched my back. "It means a lot."

I took a final look at Bellamy's sleeping form and left silently.

Walking outside the drop ship, a couple of campers turned to stare at someone finally emerging from the infected area. I poured some boiling water into a metal cup and stirred in Jasper's homemade tea leaves. Even without the powered milk we had back on the Ark it still tasted homely.

I held the cup between my two hands, allowing the heat to soak up into my body and release the goosebumps from the morning chill.

I went to look for Monty, wanting to ask about the radio in the drop ship but as I searched in his shared tent; there was no sign. I numbly walked back into the middle of camp, my head switching in every direction trying to find a tuft of jet black hair but my mindful wanders were halted when a large bang rumbled the very ground beneath my feet.

Stepping back, I looked around the ground then up to the sky to see a dark mushroom cloud swooping into the air. It scattered itself across the skies above my head and I was too busy watching it crawl across the morning light to notice Clarke and Bellamy standing behind me.

"They actually did it." Bellamy sighed. I glanced at him to see his face pale with illness, dried blood blotching his skin.

I felt sick, _the bomb had worked_. It was an actual plan. Which meant death and if Monty was down there with Finn, Jasper and Raven then they could end up like Wells. Looking away, I clenched my jaw trying to stop the thoughts of people being blown to pieces.

I threw myself down and looked across the whole of camp and continued to drink from the cup. With Clarke up and walking around like the world had finally done right, I decided it was time to sit down and do absolutely nothing.

My head snapped up fom my bored state when cheers sounded in the camp, Jasper and Monty strolled in through the gates. Their heads held high, arms slung over one another like the brotherhood they shared was a trophy. I flashed a smile at them as they gave me a fist pump each.

They seemed pleased with themselves as they returned to a cheering camp.

The smile vanished, like Clarke's when Finn dragged Raven in behind them. She was barely conscious, her eyelids fluttering weakly.

I stood up apruptly to help but Clarke held an arm out to stop me. Slowly lowering myself back to the log I was perched on; Clarke's now saddened face vanished with them both into the drop ship.

I rolled my eyes at the radiation of jealously seeping out the metal wall from Clarke.

I could hear Bellamy before I could see him. The memorable sound his boots made when he walked made his prescence obvious. He sighed and sat down next to me: the log bounced at the new weight.

"14 people dead." He said plainly.

"Including Wells."

"I know."

"You should be resting." I told him strictly.

"I'd rather not spend anymore time between the love triangle in there." He joked.

"Tell me about it." I grumbled to him. "Everything is invisible to Clarke except Finn."

"That's not completely true." Bellamy said lightly.

"Come on. Are you blind?"

"Okay, maybe a little true." He laughed.

We fell into a comfortable silence and I picked at my fraying sleeves before he spoke up again.

"You know." He started. "Thank you, for doing all that shit for the group and saving my life yesterday even though you told me you'd let me drown in my own blood."

I quirked an eyebrow in surprise and laughed. "Serious?"

"Completely."

"That's the first time someone's said thank you for helping out in the camp. So thank you."

"It's alright." He shrugged. "Anyway, I have to go. I'll catch up with you later."

I watched, amused, as he coughed awkwardly and turned around a couple of times to look back at me. I shook my head and laughed to myself. Genuine happiness made a smile show itself onto my face and it didn't fade even when he was out of sight. I felt almost _giddy_.

Stretching out I prepared for a day of little movement and relaxed my tense shoulders.

The day slipped by. I'd grabbed a needle from Clarke and started to repair the jackets of the other campers.

I swallowed the last sip of my hot drink and walked back into the drop ship. Pushing passed everyone, deep in thought about what we'd done to the grounders.

Jasper walked passed and bent down to pick up a freshly sewn jacket. "Hey, did I say you were aloud to take one?" I enquired.

"I'm your friend. I get first choice."

"True, where are you heading?"

"Just to repair something for Monty in the drop ship."

"Okay, I'll see you later."

"Wait, have you seen Octavia?"

"She was in the meat storage set up last time I saw her."

"Could you check up on her for me? I don't want to seem clingy."

"Sure." I gave him a fake smile and stabbed the needle into the jacket as he walked away.

"I mean you know. I'm perfectly alright too Jasper. Thanks for asking-"

The squeaky scream of prisoners interrupted my private conversation with myself over Jasper's lack of care. I dropped everything and all the jackets fell into the mud as the blazing fire ravanged the wooden meat storage room. The black smoke smelt of burnt meat and food, everything we had left.

I jogged up to Octavia and helped her up off the ground where she'd dived away from the burning flames. Bellamy grabbed Murphy by the scruff of his neck and shoved him away from another boy. With the fire illuminating their outlines it was dramatic and heat from the fire ahead made my forehead sweat slightly.

"That was all the food!" Octavia cried to Bellamy, he turned back to look at the fire as realization hit us.

I sat Octavia down, away from the fire and handed her a towel to wipe down herself down of any charcoal she'd smeared on herself. The only meat left in camp was gone and I contemplated how we were going to deal with the blow.

The fire died down as campers threw the last of the water onto it, patting down charcoaled wooden stakes and beams. Smoke had drifted up off the ground and was clearing the foggy camp quickly.

I gagged at the settled stench of burnt meat and covered my mouth with a cloth.

"Kora!" Clarke's voice shouted from the drop ship. I whipped my head round to look at her, holding a gun next to Finn and Miles.

"Yeah?" I yelled back.

"We're going hunting. You're a good shot as I've heard. Want to come?"

"Sure." I answered then I turned back to Octavia. "You stay here. I'm pretty sure Bellamy doesn't want you to go out there."

"I figured." She huffed. "I have to help clear this shit up anyway."

Smirking, I caught the gun Finn threw my way and fastened it around my shoulders. Dozens filed out the camp, their faces ready for some adventure for once. Some stole glances at the sindering piles of burnt wood and their now deceased future meals.

I strolled behind Clarke and stopped.

"Where do you think you're going?" Bellamy snapped behind me. His hand reached out and grabbed my wrist stopping me in my tracks.

"Hunting. What does it look like?"

"No way. It's too dangerous."

"All these other people are going out."

"What about what Murphy told them? About you?"

"I won't be alone, trust me. I'll be fine, you've got stuff to worry about here."

"Kora." He growled in annoyance.

I rolled my eyes and walked out of his grip. "I will be fine. Go worry about Octavia or something."

"Don't be stupid. Stay here."

"I need to help look for food."

"No, you need to help here."

"Bellamy." I sighed. "I'll be right back."

"The grounders know who you are Kora."

"I am literally going to be out the camp for what 10 minutes?"

"Just- goddamnit."

"Alright. See you later." I waved. As I turned, my foot slipped on some wet dirt and I stumbled but Bellamy reached out a grabbed my waist and his large hand scooped at my lower back; pulling my body up to his. Bellamy's lips were inches away from mine. I could feel his hot breath fanning my cheek. Our heartbeats were on top of one another, both hammering away with adrenaline.

"Kora!"

I jumped back and blinked. "What?"

"What are you doing? Come on!" Clarke shouted.

I stepped back and Bellamy dropped his hand to his side. "I have to go."

"You better come back."

"I will. Don't miss be too much."

He smiled at the ground and I sprinted off out the camp. My heart was hammering inside my chest as I caught up with Finn. With my mind spinning, I slapped myself mentally for freezing up like that.

"You alright?" Finn asked me, I snapped out my daze and looked at him.

"What? Oh I'm fine." I laughed off awkwardly.

He gave me a sideways glance and pointed to the ground. "Deer prints, look."

I examined where Clarke was crouched in front of us. The deer tracks were completely clear on the ground, almost like an artist had sculpted them in the ground.

We'd only walked a couple of meters away from the camp, far enough so we could no longer see it but I could hear the commotion and chat emitting from it nonetheless.

Miles, a younger boy, had a frown rise up on his face as he studied them next to me. "They look perfect, shouldn't we just follow them?"

"Wait." I held a hand out to stop him from moving.

"He's right." Finn said and he beant down next to Clarke. "They're perfect. These aren't deer tracks, they were made."

I looked around at the treeline in front of us and held the gun tighter between my hands.

"We're the ones being hunted." Finn finished, his voice dropped to a whisper.

I dropped to the ground next to them and leveled my eye up with the gun, narrowing them to see clearer into the forest. A nearly silent _swish _shot by my ear, like the ones I heard on the bridge and Miles fell to the ground in a horrid dance with two arrows lodged in his heart.

"Miles!" Clarke cried out.

Finn grabbed Clarke's hand and hoisted her up. "We've got to leave him and go." He demanded.

"No no, wait we have to-"

"Now Kora." Finn demanded but I fell back onto my elbows in shock when a grounder emerged from behind a tree and bludged him over the head with a rounded stone. Clarke was hit next and I scrambled back at the descending figure.

"Please don't-" I pleaded and held my hand up in defeat.

He swung a batton and it collided with the side of my head, I felt the other side hit the floor next to a pool of Miles' blood before I blacked out.


	20. Chapter 20

I woke up to the feel of my feet being dragged against the floor. My boots were rubbing against the stones and dirt and started to wear themselves rough.

In alarm, I struggled against the restraints and at the sign of movement I was hoisted up off the ground and shoved forward so I was walking next to Finn and Clarke. A hand roughly grabbed my shoulder, forcing me to look away from them.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw three grounders, covered in animal fur, their tribal make up; dark and heavy.

I was shoved in first through a decaying metal doorway and pushed to my knees. I faintly heard the echo of Finn and Clarke falling into step down next to me.

Looking around, the dimly lit room was almost barbaric looking. The walls were grimy with dead moss and webs slung over the tables.

"Okay." Finn whispered. "We walked for about 3 miles-"

"Finn, I don't think that matters." Clarke whispered back to us. "They didn't blind fold us."

"Which means they don't care what we see, which means they're going to kill us." I finished.

Finn looked at me, dead in the eye and I saw his chest heave down in defeat.

As I finished my sentence, the grounders bolted back and pulled us up to our feet. Natural lighting led the way and I was about to step through when a tall lean grounder stopped me from moving.

Clarke turned around in the doorway to look back and she looked scared, which was something I never saw in her.

The metal door slammed close and I was blocked away from Finn and Clarke. My hands began to tremble in the shackles holding them against each other and I let out a shaky breath.

A female walked in front of where I was standing and stared me down. I felt my body shift so it was smaller.

"You are Kora?" She asked. Her voice was deep, demanding.

I nodded slowly.

"You will speak when I talk to you."

"I- I am ." I said quietly.

She looked and nodded at the other guards next to me, they grabbed my shoulders and pushed me into a metal room which smelt of blood. The sick smell made me want to vomit.

I looked down at my feet and saw bloodied finger nails on the floor, cleanly ripped off. I swallowed and felt tears prick into my eyes.

"Move." A guard ordered gruffly.

On command I stepped into the middle of the room and a hand pushed me to the ground, my knees crunched against the cold concrete.

Looking up, I noticed on the table in front of me was a row of different colored vials. The bottles were small, much like the ones Lincoln had. In a metal tray next to the vials were tiny contained of powder, colored. A bundle of plants and smashed herbs in a metal box lay in the corner.

The same woman walked into the room, her footsteps echoed off the walls viscously. I felt her eyes burning into the top of my head whilst I looked down at the floor.

"Your friend, with whom we held in this very room, tells me you're trained in the medical arts?" She questioned.

I looked up and swallowed the lump of fear in my throat. "I h-have some experience."

"After the bomb your group planted killed our final healer, we have no medicine."

"What do you want me to do about it?" I snapped.

_Wrong move_.

Her hand swooped down and roughly pinched my chin. She forcefully yanked it up so I was in eyeline with her. "Make an antibiotic, like the ones you use." She spat. "An eye for an eye as they say."

"But I don't know how to-"

"You see that on the floor?" She pointed at the dry blood and I nodded shakily.

"Y-yes."

"You don't do a good job? It'll be yours next."

The leader, or so I assumed to be the leader, cast my body back to the floor and I bought my hands out to stop my face smashing against the concrete surface.

She slammed the door, making my bones rattle. A single guard stood against it so he was facing me.

Poker hot tears pricked my eyes and I stumbled up to the metal table. I flinched when I heard movement from the grounder behind me but he was just shuffling on his feet.

Picking up a green vial, I shook it so the solid gathered at the bottom mixed into the liquid properly. I glanced at the guard and he clenched his dagger tightly, I looked away quickly.

I wanted to know what was happening to Finn and Clarke. Desperately avoiding the thoughts that they were like Murphy.

After a couple of minutes, standing and staring at the vials in front of me, I jumped in surprise as the door creaked open. I turned around and wanted to back into the table but I stood my ground.

"Why have you not begun?" The leader asked.

"I'm just thinking."

"Thinking-" She started towards me. "-isn't enough."

Her hand came across my face, a hard slap sounding out. I stepped back and clenched my jaw, refusing to react. It stung my cheek and with my head facing to the side, I looked at her through the strands of my hair which had fallen out my ponytail.

"I don't think you realize who you're messing with. You don't do this? He dies, we've kept a secure look on your camp, you know who I'm talking about."

I stared at the ground. _Bellamy_.

"Do it." She snapped louder.

Once again, I was left with the grounder and the vials.

I picked up a red vial and squeezed my eyes close; trying to remember what we had on the Ark.

I remembered having two types of antibiotic on the Ark. A simple concoction from a herb and a white powder.

I hovered my hand over a crumbly pale powder and picked up the beaker it was in. There was small stone fireplace in the corner and an assortment of ridged pots.

With Bellamy on my mind, I ignored the burning gaze of the grounder as I hurriedly poured some of the powder into a ceramic bowl. The plants were different size and shapes, I didn't know which one to use.

I thought back to Monty, what he was saying about the herbs on the Ark.

Picking out two crushed herbs, I lay them out in front of me. From Monty's description of healing herbs; it had to be one of these.

I looked between the two, they were both so similar. They had the same texture and looked slightly damp on the surface. So I closed my eyes and picked up a random one, I looked down and saw I'd grabbed the right side.

Pouring the herb into the ceramic bowl, I crushed them together to form a greenish powder like substance. It emitted a faint smell of cold medicine so I had to be on the right track.

My forehead was beaded with sweat and I stirred the damp powder then poured it into a pot. The guard stepped forward to see what I was doing and I swallowed in nervousness.

Hovering the pot over the burning fire, I stirred in the heat and friction from the pan. Soon the powder began to form a gooey lump, it churned itself into a whiter form.

"Do you have any water?" I asked the grounder. "And a small tray with holes or something I can mold the tablets into?"

He looked down at the pot and I heard him give a quick whistle. A second later, another grounder entered with a jug, they both stared me down and I took the water from them, he placed a tray on the metal table.

I poured little by little into the pot. Stirring consistently and fanning the moisture evaporating into my face.

Soon, the mixture became more liquefied, it started to bubble over. Hot, fat bubbles sprouted and exploded next to my skin. I jolted away to avoid them, the grounder seemed to take note that they were painful if touched.

I couldn't help but wobble the pot as I carried it over to the work bench, hysteria was starting run through my veins. There were no windows to see how long I'd been in here but it seemed to last for hours.

I walked over to the table and started to pour a tiny amount of the liquid into each mold. The molds were tiny, smaller than a raisin.

A hot sizzling sound rang out every time the liquid hit and filled the molds. It quickly cooled at the rapid change in temperature.

Once half the molds were full, I stepped back and placed the pot on the side. I had no idea if they would work, or if they were going to just turn out to be poison.

I gave the guards a look and nodded. "I -I think I made it."

As soon as the words slipped from my mouth, the leader barged in. She seemed furious, there were tears in the corners of her eyes.

I stepped back and watched as she stormed into the room, she stepped in front of me and held up a strand of hair. I looked at it then back at her angered face.

"Do you know what this is?" She hissed.

"It's someone's hair." I said quickly, I wasn't too worried. It wasn't Finn's or Clarke's color.

"It is a child's hair. The very child your people murdered on that bridge."

Swallowing harshly, I stayed in my position.

"Your friends couldn't save her. You will never see them again."

I bit my lip and looked down to stop myself from crying. More people dead. _Clarke_. _Finn_.

"If this medicine doesn't work, you will end up like them." The leader spat.

I watched in fear as she picked out a hardened pill, which had dried and cooled. The guard who had been watching over me looked down at the leader as he hand was outstretched in front of him. His dark eyes widened and I saw him visibly swallow; obviously surprised at his leader's command.

I subconsciously started to wring my hands together and watched him put the pill to his mouth. He knocked it back and looked at me.

My whole world shattered as he fell to the floor, his cloak wrapped around his body.

"But, it's the same herb." I whispered in shock.

The leader turned swiftly, she roared and grabbed the pot. The boiling liquid inside flung out in all direction and splashed up over the walls behind me. It caught my arm and I tripped back against the wall, sliding down it.

Grasping at my wrist, I wiped all the liquid off and cradled my arm.

She grabbed my throat and shoved my head against the wall. The same pain from my previous head injury erupted but I was too pre-occupied with clawing at her hand twisted over my neck.

"You are a murderer." She spat, I felt the saliva hit my face. "I'll allow my people to enjoy watching you bleed yourself dry."

"Please, I thought it would work." I cried out.

With a final shove, she pushed me back into the wall. My shoulder blades crashed against the concrete.

"Take her to the mountain and let her blood drain over the edge."

"No, don't please! I promise, I promise I was trying to help!" I pleaded. My face scrunched as tears fell over my eyes but they showed no mercy.

My hair was yanked upwards and I grabbed at the rough hand. I was dragged along a different corridor and passed the dead grounder.

I was kicking and screaming my lungs out. My throat scratched itself raw. "Let me go!" I screamed.

My airway became clear as the fresh night air filled my chest. I gasped and inhaled, hating the interior air. The way the cramped space made you feel like you were choking.

Suddenly, my ponytail was released and I was cast to the ground. I felt my face scratch on the thorns I'd landed on.

"Where is the hunter?" The leader snapped.

"He took the girl, he wasn't the hunter Lady Anja."

Her name was Anja, I realized.

"Who was he?" Her voice rose, louder and deeper.

"Lincoln. He took them."

"Go after him. Find them, kill them."

"What about the prisoner?" He motioned towards me.

"You." She shouted a larger stockier male. "Kill her, then join us."

I backed up along the floor, ignoring Anja and the other grounders as they rode out into the dead of night.

The grounder yanked on my chains and I fell forward onto my hands and knees. Two hands hoisted me off the ground and held my shoulders in place.

"You killed my friend." He flared.

"I'm so sorry. I tried- I tried to make the medicine."

"You filthy sky breeder." The grounder boomed into my face and I cried out in pain when he threw me into the concrete door frame I was dragged out of. My shoulder hit it full force and I let out a whimper.

My blood was pumping so fast that I'm sure he could hear the beating of my heart over the war drums in the far distance. I noticed a slight limp as he swaggered towards my body again and my eyes travelled up to notice an obvious misalignment of his pelvis and right leg.

_That was his weak spot._


	21. Chapter 21

Istumbled back against the grass slope behind me and looked around, trying to find a weapon of some kind.

The grounder marched, his feet pounding against the hard ground. The clearing was only illuminated by the fire in the middle, the grounder's silhouette blocking the light.

His hand was slammed down on my foot and yanked me forward so I was at his feet. My back jolted and I fought against his hands as they held my wrists tightly.

"Let me go you bastard!" I screamed.

My words made him angrier, I heard the slice of a dagger being pulled from a metal case. He roared a monstrous noise and I ducked underneath him as he plunged the dagger into the dirt.

I tripped and ran. I could hear his laboured breathing and see the whites of his eyes blur my vision.

Adrenaline coursed my veins, pumping blood around my head faster than ever before. I skidded down a bank, out of sight of the raging fire up ahead. I couldn't stop.

The grounder jumped off the side of the bank and shoved full force into my back, I tumbled down and my knees skidded along the ground. The grounder yanked me back to him and I was about to scream when his hand clamped a dirty cloth between my teeth.

I fought against the restraints and started to breathe heavily through my nose, hot tears fell onto my cheeks. My the scruff of my neck, he dragged me back up the hill and threw me down in front of the fire. I looked up and coughed on the gag in my mouth.

"You disgust me." He spat at the ground next to me and I flinched. His foot stamped down on my wounded thigh and I cried into myself.

My eyes wide with terror as I watched the dagger in his hand hover over the skin of my shoulder.

Picking up my body between his hands, I was thrown across the floor. My nose crunched against the ground and I felt blood drip out of it quickly. I could barely count the times and I finally cried out when my knees crunched, my thigh tore against a sharp piece of rock jutted out where I was cast out. I tried to stop the bleeding but my hands had been tied.

I couldn't control my breathing, my leg felt numb with pain and I felt his body weight come down onto me. He pushed my body out and held above me a long, thin knife.

I couldn't speak, the gag forced me not to.

He pulled down the strip of top covering my left shoulder. It was exposed.

"How many have you killed?" He growled and held the dagger into the fire, it went a blood red color as it heated up.

I shook my head frantically and choked on the gag; trying to stop myself from hyperventilating.

"You know what we do to those who kill?" He tested angrily. "You get a mark to show how many you kill. Let's see." He tested and spat on the dagger, it sizzled and evaporated. "You murdered that little girl, didn't you?"

I shook my head harder and tried to wriggle out of his grasp. "Please no, I didn't. I swear." My words were muffled and turned into sobs.

"Now, as you're a sky breeder, I'll be extra special." He muttered gruffly.

I screamed into the gag and shook in my bonds, my head was pounding so furiously. My vision blurred as his dug the scolding dagger tip onto my collar bone. He pressed it down and twisted violently.

Screaming into the gag, I could barely hear his words over it.

"And one for my friend, who you murdered out of your own filth." He cursed into my ear drum.

The pain was phenomenal, it pulsed away inside. I writhed in agony, the pain was excruciating. My collarbone felt like it was on fire; like the burning behind us.

_The fire_.

My hands had been wrapped in rope, securely around my bleeding worn down wrists. My hands were sweaty, clammy from the pain. Whilst I sobbed into the gag and the grounder stared down at his work, I wriggled my hand through the knot. The sweat acted like butter and my hand shot out free.

Almost gasping in relief, I held my mouth shut and played along with more crying beneath him. Through the tear-streaked eyes, he was smirking.

I bought my leg up and swiped it against his pelvis bone. I felt the dent hit my foot and he cried out.

I felt like I was being pulled over by an invisible thread and I gave a might shove at his face, his chin snapped upward and he tumbled over my head.

I heard a male cry erupt from him as he fell face first into the flames. I rolled away and dragged myself upward, my face weeping out the pain.

His mind was engulfed with rage and he furiously picked himself up out the fire. I stumbled back slightly at the sight of his red raw face. The skin had started to peal and I whimpered a wretch.

The grounder started towards me and I turned and ran. I clung to my shoulder and threw the gag from my mouth. Spluttering on the feel of freedom. My leg was like a thousand bees had thrown themselves into the skin, burying their spikes into the very bone.

I lurched and tripped over tree roots in the ground. My exhaustion was taking over, the black spots in my vision clouding my every move.

I'd been walking for what felt like an eternity. My feet were cold and dragged themselves along the ground. I trudged through the forest, falling against trees, clambering over dead logs and straining myself so I could keep walking

"Fucking keep going." I murmured to myself but I couldn't follow my words.

I fell down and clamped a hand over my mouth to stop myself from making too much noise. The grounders were out here.

I let go. I readjusted myself and let my face fall onto the soil. I reached down and bought my hand back up to see blood, my thigh was bleeding out on the ground and I was allowing myself to let it do so.

Closing my eyes, I allowed myself to feel the Earth rustle on it's own. I couldn't feel my body, my limbs were numb.

I let out a long breath from my aching lungs, bruised ribs held against the beating heart of the ground below.

.

Listening to the sound of the birds cooing above, I felt a beam of warm sunlight cast over my back and then I heard muffled speaking. I squeezed my eyes close, I didn't want to imagine myself hearing Bellamy's soft tone or Jasper's laughter.

It was as if it was mocking me.

Then it got louder. I snapped my eyes open and looked up. In the darkness I couldn't tell where I had fell or stumbled but now there was light I could see the tall wooden walls of the camp.

I hobbled to my feet and gasped, clinging to the tree next to me. I dragged my barely working leg and limped to the edge of camp. My mind started to become faded, I felt nauseous.

With every step, my shoulder pulled and I felt the skin ripping open around the knife wounds. I hissed and fell against the wooden wall.

"Fuck." I cursed. I slammed my hand against the wood in frustration.

I used the wall to help pull myself to the gates of camp. There were no guards on duty, but I could hear the bustle of people inside.

I blinked and squeezed my eyes together as black spots clouded my vision. My leg began to pump and I stepped causing a spark of pain to ignite up my thigh and into my hips. I cried out and fell to the ground just outside the agar gates.

"Help." I coughed out. I gagged and wretched and my stomach started to churn.

Somehow managing to pull myself to my feet, I wobbled through the gates. I could feel hot blood dribbling down my forehead and my leg must've looked horrendous. With my top exposing the burnt bleeding flesh of my shoulder, I wasn't surprised at the shocked expressions of the campers.

I wavered in the spot and saw people running inside the drop ship. Seconds later, Bellamy came sprinting out.

"Clarke? Finn?" I choked out to him as he ran. I gave the best smile I could muster when I saw them hurry out the drop ship. They looked a little worse for wear but I must've been a shocker. I wanted to burst out laughing at their faces when they walked out and cast their eyes down on me. Except, I didn't laugh.

Bellamy was only a few meters away when a tidal wave of nausea and pain sank me like a shipwreck. I felt my body start to tremble and I lost my footing; falling to my knees and allowing everything to take over before I even hit the ground.


	22. Chapter 22

"Kora, please wake up."

All I could see was darkness, all I could feel was darkness. My whole body was cold, below freezing. Except for a warm glow on my fingertips, I numbly tried to move my fingers. I flexed them and realized my hand was enclosed by another.

"K-Kora?" Bellamy choked.

I tried to breathe but my lungs felt compressed, I coughed and my eyes shot open. I blinked a couple of times and squinted at the light.

"Thank god." I heard Bellamy sigh and he swiftly leaned over me, his hands on either side of my face, cupping my cheeks. His thumbs rested over the smooth skin.

I cringed and tried to sit up.

"Hold on, let me." Bellamy said and his hand slipped behind my back. It held my waist and I was lifted up and I was able to lean against the wall behind me.

I hissed when I touched my shoulder, I lightly ran my hand over the bandage which had been wrapped over my shoulder and under my arm.

"Clarke fixed your leg." He said quietly. "And your wrists. Then your head and t-then your shoulder."

As he listed them off he seemed almost ashamed of himself. His voice dropped lower and lower with each sentence. I looked down at my arms where a long plaster had been placed around each wrist, showing where the chains had dug through. I didn't even realize they were that bad but I had other things on my mind.

He dropped his hands from my cheeks and I watched him walk away, he knotted his hand in the back of his hair and pulled. I heard him growl angrily.

"Bell..." I sighed in defeat. "Stop."

I jumped at his sudden outburst when he tugged at his hair with both hands. "I can't! This is my fault!"

"This isn't your fault."

"Yes it is! I told Jasper to not go out and look for you! I thought you were dead so I gave up."

I tilted my head and gave him a smile. "I'm here though. I came back."

"I thought you were dead. When Clarke and Finn came back without you. I just -I just gave up because I couldn't stand the thought of finding you -of finding you-" He choked.

"Finding me what?"

"Of finding you dead. I didn't want to see it."

"Okay, it's okay. I wouldn't of wanted to see me dead either." I joked.

"Don't talk like that, like God I imagined it and I swear if you hadn't of come back."

"Well I'm back so it's all good."

"It's not good. Look at you, I can't even imagine what they did." He threw himself down on the stool next to the bed and dropped his head into his hands. I felt complied to reach and just bundle his distress away.

"They barely did anything." I mumbled.

"Fuck look at this! This isn't nothing!" He shouted and held my shoulder, staring at the bandage as if he could see the wounds underneath.

I froze as his grip became a little too tight. He saw my reaction and shot his hands away like I was made of lava.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you."

"It's fine."

"Stop saying it's fine!"

"Bellamy, I think you should go and get some sleep. You're overreacting a little."

"Overreacting? Are you joking? Tell me you're joking." He ran his hand through his thick hair and I leaned back against the pillow behind me.

"You're making a fuss and it's ridiculous ."

"Why do you fucking do that?" He shouted.

"Do what?" I asked defensively.

"You act like people who care about you are out of their mind! Like it's fine for you to stress the shit out over someone else but as soon as you're in the one in any sort of need you act like it's unacceptable."

I opened my mouth and closed it again. Unable to form words.

"See? It's the truth."

I huffed and crossed my arms over my chest. "You don't have to stay here." I said quietly.

A growl erupted from his throat and before I could react, the back of my head was being cradled with his large hand. His other one holding my cheek. I let out a whimper into his soft lips and uncrossed my arms, slinging them around his neck.

Our lips worked against each other, fast and erratic. He pushed mine apart with his tongue and they suddenly slipped over one another in an ecstatic rush to get more.

He leaned in more and kissed me slowly, reverently, no longer surprised that this was happening and yet revelling on the inevitable yearning that I wanted him badly.

"Bellamy, you up there?" Jasper shouted up the ladder.

He jumped back and his eyes locked with mine as he answered Jasper. "Yeah. What do you want?"

Bellamy moved away as Jasper came up the ladder. "I need to sort out some more gun powder. Kora! Damn, you're already awake."

"Hi Jasper." I smiled. He returned it and wandered over to the work bench where a pot of gunpowder lay. My stomach was going insane, shivers littering the goosebumps along my arms.

"Alright, I've got to go and help Clarke with some stuff. I'll be back later."

"Okay see you in a bit dude." Jasper waved him off and with a final glance at me, Bellamy disappeared down the ladder.

"Jesus Kora, you feeling okay?" Jasper turned to me.

I nodded and moved my hand from my shocked lips. "I'm good."

"He a good kisser?" Jasper absentmindedly asked as he poured gunpowder into a jar.

My mouth dropped open. "I-uhm. Wait, you saw that?"

"Woopsies." He said sarcastically.

"Maybe." I said slyly.

He laughed loudly and glanced at me. "Been waiting for that since we got here."

"Seriously?"

"Yup. The sexual tension was almost the death of me."

I laughed at his comment and my eyes went to the ladder. "Murphy still here?" I said quietly.

"For now, but I'm positive he's up to something."

Shrugging, I maneuvered myself so I was sat upright with my feet dangling off the bed. "I don't know Jasper." I sighed.

"Hey, you should be careful." Jasper pointed out. "Stay in bed for a while."

I rolled my shoulder and tested the pain when I moved; surprisingly it wasn't too bad. "The grounders are coming Jasper."

"I know." He dropped his head and sifted more gunpowder. I heard a chatter on the bottom level below and it sounded like Murphy's voice, Jasper grabbed the can of gunpowder and put it down.

"What's that in your pocket? Oh my god a radio?" I asked excitedly.

He pulled it out and I took if from him. "Raven made them. I'll get you one."

"That's amazing."

"Yeah. The signal is a little crap but it'll have to do."

I handed it back and he wandered away.

"Where are you going?"

"I'll be right back, I just need some wire."

"Alright."

"You want anything?"

"Do we have any soothing ointment left?"

"Clarke made a fresh batch so I'll get you some."

"Thanks babe." I huffed.

He laughed as descended the ladder slowly.

I winced and shuffled further to edge of the bed. My shoulder felt sore and like the muscles were all pulling against each other beneath skin. My hair felt gross and matted on my shoulders, I must've looked awful. Across from the bed was a metal dish with a wet bloodied cloth in it. I cringed at the events of the grounders but I stopped when Jasper face reappeared from the ladder.

I was about to smile but I saw his Adam's apple bob in fear.

"Kora." He whispered quickly. "Stay here. Do not move."

"Jasper?" I said in the same hushed tone. "Why? What's happening?"

"Murphy strangled Miles. He doesn't know you're up here. Please stay quiet."

I opened my mouth to speak but he disappeared down the ladder. In my effort to get to him, I forgot about my thigh and fell onto my knees on the ground. It echoed a small clang and I squeezed my eyes shut at the sounds.

Murphy was still a _monster._

I swallowed the lump in my throat and held my breath so my wince wouldn't erupt from my throat. Dragging myself over to the ladder, I leaned my head down, trying to distinguish the arguing voices below. My hands became clammy at the raised voices.

I heard the loud cackle of a radio and Bellamy's voice. My stomach dropped when I heard the sound of the drop ship door slamming shut.

"Give me the radio." Murphy said swiftly. I could hear the shake in his voice as he steadily got more confidence.

"Murphy has a gun-" Jasper tried to shout, most definitely into the radio but a shrill of gun on bone made his words halt.

I slammed my hand over my mouth to stop myself from letting out a cry in shock. Hearing the crumple of Jasper's body fall to the floor made my whole body drop onto the ground and pear over the edge of the trap door.

"You try to be a hero?" Murphy shouted to Bellamy on the other side of the drop ship. "Jasper dies!"

I must've lay for hours next to the trap door, listening to shuffling of movement beneath me. My stomach began to stiffen as I lay in the same position but I refused to move. Mainly because my shoulder began to kill the nerves but because I was too afraid Murphy was going to find me.

.

My eyes ripped open at the sound of Bellamy's voice through Murphy radio.

"Let me take his place. You don't want Jasper, you want me." He said calmly.

My jaw dropped and I shuffled to the edge of the hatch. _What was he fucking thinking?_ I screamed to myself. Due to Jasper's lack of noise I guessed he had a gag in his mouth. I wanted to intervene and wrap the gag around Murphy's neck but I was following Jasper's orders.

The deafening silence felt like a time bomb and I couldn't hear what else Murphy and Bellamy were saying between their mumbles.

Then it was as if the bomb exploded when the drop ship door cluttered open. The words of shrapnel flew out of Murphy's mouth as he threw Jasper out the drop ship. I squinted at the noise of Bellamy's boots entering.

Scuffling and the faint clang of a body being pushed to the ground made me lean further to hear more. I jumped when Murphy was standing at the foot of the ladders. I saw a large black gun balancing between his sweaty hands.

"Tie them together." Murphy snapped ahead of him.

I looked away from the top of his hair, grimy and slithered with grease, and towards the direction he was speaking.

I was becoming frustrated with the fact I couldn't see what was happening and I relied on my hearing. With the clatter of metal buckles over a metal rod, I saw Murphy smirk.

"What do you want me to say?" Bellamy snapped. "You want me to apologise?"

Murphy stepped back and held the gun higher, I held my breath; barely imagining what Bellamy looked like in front of the trigger.

"I'm sorry."

"You know? You've got it all wrong about me." Murphy smiled devilishly. "I don't want you to _say _anything. I want you to feel what I felt. And then -then I want you to die."

Tears pricked to my eyes uncontrollably. I had to do something._I had to_.

Shuffling to the edge of the trap door, I pulled my leg over the side. My thigh stung but I kept my eye on the top of Murphy's head as he evilly looked ahead of him. The scraping of a large metal stool kept his attention as I grabbed a sharp dagger.

"Stand on it." Murphy held his head high, watching Bellamy in disgust.

With each step, lowering myself down the ladders, my whole body shook with the pain of my injuries and the fear that Murphy would turn around.

I bit my lip when the entire bottom room came into view and I almost screamed at the sight of Bellamy stood with his head through a rope, Bellamy's eyes shot to me for a second and I could see the danger threatening inside of him.

I bought a finger to my lips and swiftly grabbed Murphy throat. Without hesitation; which surprised me. Murphy stumbled his back into my chest and I pressed the knife to his throat, my mouth next to his sweaty face.

"Princess." Murphy laughed. "I was wondering when you were going to make an appearance."


	23. Chapter 23

My grip tightened around his throat and my breathing my heavy, I glanced at Bellamy for a second.

"Stop this." I spat.

"I'm just getting started." Murphy spoke smugly and I was pushed back, Murphy foot kicked at my thigh and I hit the ground with a thud. Pain erupted from my leg and the bandage was spotted with new blood from beneath.

"Shit." I choked and Murphy's hand came to my throat suddenly. I grappled at his hand, trying to breathe.

"Precious kitten so weak?" Murphy teased. He grabbed my wrists and strung a rope tightly over the bandages. I watched him with a glare.

Bellamy went to pull his head out the rope but Murphy turned and pointed a finger at him. "Don't think about doing that."

I watched as Bellamy stood back fully on the stool and looked down at Murphy. "This is insane. The grounders will-"

Murphy shot a bullet next to my foot and I flinched at the metallic echo.

"Tighten the rope." Murphy spoke calmly.

Bellamy did so and I watched him swallow painfully.

"You're so brave." Murphy smiled sarcastically. "Isn't he brave Kora?"

I didn't answer but my eyes were hot with tears.

"You came in here thinking you could turn this whole thing around? Thinking you were stronger than me and that one of your friends would come and help you?" Murphy smirked at me. "Well we failed that part didn't we princess?"

Again, I said nothing and Murphy grabbed the string of seat belts and yanked it down, I rocked forward and gasped. "No, don't."

"Don't what?" Murphy said innocently.

"Don't hurt him."

"I know I'll do that same to you after I've finished."

I looked up at Bellamy and he shook his head between the rope. He looked beyond pissed but behind the walls lay fear.

"You're a good person Kora." Murphy strolled passed me. "Why you put yourself in this position is such a shame."

"Go fuck yourself Murphy."

"Princess no. Don't be so mean. You were always one of my favorites." He lowered himself to his knees and at my eye level, I felt a clammy finger graze my chin. "It would be a shame to see you rot in a ditch like him."

I shook my head and looked away but Murphy grabbed my chin and made me look at Bellamy.

"Do you see?" He asked and I watched Bellamy struggle to keep his feet flat agains the stool. "I'm making him_ feel _it."

He yanked the seat belts tighter and Bellamy was hoisted a couple of centimeters from the stool. I shoved Murphy. "Stop it!" I shouted. "Murphy let him go!"

Murphy let the rope drop and Bellamy's feet landed properly. I watched him breathe a breath of air and try to loosen the strain on his neck.

Murphy pulled himself to his feet and swung a hand across my face, my neck cricked with the force and I held my cheek.

"Don't you fucking dare." Bellamy spat at Murphy.

Murphy ignored him and wandered aimlessly. "You know, I've got to hand it to you. You've got them all fooled. They actually looked up to you?" He pointed at me. "This bitch, is willing to take a beating for you."

Bellamy's jaw clenched and he stared at Murphy with so much hatred is was boiling and fuming against the back of his brain.

"How long do you think she'll last Bellamy? " Murphy tested. "Everyone is so hooked that they could be bleeding themselves out and they'd still let you walk over them. You're a coward!" Murphy roared the last sentence and swung his hand out again, I flinched and his nail grazed my cheek.

"But, you were just giving the people what they wanted right?"

"I should've stopped them." Bellamy croaked finally.

"Yeah, it's a little late for that now."

"Do you think they're just going to let you walk out of here?"

"Well, I think what happens beyond this room doesn't matter. After I'm done with you, princess over here will regret ever coming down those ladders and if she was a virgin before; she won't be for long."

I gulped and backed up against the ladders and Bellamy's hand tightened around the rope, I saw his teeth grind together. He kicked out and Murphy jumped back, grabbing the rope and pulling it hard.

A sudden scream from underneath the metal floorboards made me jump and all our eyes shot to the ground.

"Coming to the rescue?" He sniped. Suddenly, he started to shooting in every direction. The bullets bounced off the walls and with him distracted, something flooded me. I jumped and went to move over to Bellamy who was trying to get the rope from around his neck quickly.

Murphy clocked our movements and I screamed when he swung the gun around. The handle hit my head and I stumbled on my hands and knees. In the confusion on what was happening I barely had time to register Murphy grabbing my throat and forcing my eyes to land on Bellamy who was struggling against the tightening rope. I thrashed against Murphy and screamed out.

"Stop! Don't Murphy! Please, oh god Bellamy." I started to sob.

He choked out and I could hear the airways tightening. My head was rattling away with pain and I felt like the whole world was spinning.

Murphy gave me a shove and went up to Bellamy as he continued to flail in the air ahead. Still against the odds Bellamy swung his fist and smacked Murphy hard across the cheek. In anger Murphy came back and pelted at Bellamy with the unloaded gun over and over.

My movements were of their own accord. I stumbled up and screamed at Murphy to stop.

Murphy stepped away from Bellamy limp body and I heard the drop ship door open. I reached out to grab Bellamy's body to give him room to breathe but my hair was yanked, I clattered to the ground beneath Bellamy and felt myself being dragged to the ladders.

"Let me go you bastard!" I screeched. My feet scrambled against the ladders and I underestimated Murphy strength. Before the trap door was slammed close, tears leaked and fell to the floor. Octavia looked up and her eyes visibly widened.

Murphy shoved a plank of wood on the lock and grabbed my unwound-ed shoulder. "Don't try anything." He spat. "You're on my side now."

"It's over Murphy." I coughed.

"No, it's not."

My head snapped to the trap door and it started to rattle uncontrollably. "Murphy!" Bellamy's voice shouted up.

I resisted a relieved gasp at the fact he wasn't dead.

"It's over Murphy!" Bellamy shouted again. "Murphy! Let Kora go or I'll rip your fucking head from your body!"

Murphy approached me again and I thrashed against his strong hands. I screamed at him and he let me go suddenly when the trap door started to bang roughly. The wooden plank started to creak and snap.

"I will come back for you whore." He sneered and I covered my head with my arms when I realised he was holding a lit match.

The whole room seemed to bang into oblivion. With the explosion of the side of the drop ship and the trap door, all I could do was rock the noises of scraping metal out.

The rope around my wrists disappeared and two hands grabbed each one. They were pushed away from my head and in one fluid motion, I was pulled gently into Bellamy's lap. I let out a sob into his chest and wanted to envelope myself into him.

He _shh_'d me soothingly and I lifted my head to look at his neck. My fingers grazed the rope burns and I dropped my head.

"I didn't mean to let him go. I'm sorry."

"It's alright. The grounders will find him. I don't want to see him again."

We stood up in the grumbling ashes of the drop ship wall. The air was full of dust and a harsh grey cloud.

Jasper pointed to the wall and I saw the tiny figure of Murphy running. I looked away, unable to stomach the sight of him.

"I'm going to find Clarke." I said quietly.

"Wait Kora-"

"I'll be fine." I silenced him.

...

"How long until they get here?" I asked Clarke as she re-bandaged my shoulder. The ointment made it soothe itself. I was sat with her as she helped my aching body.

"A couple days at the most. It's insane that Bell wants us to stay and prepare."

I shrugged and looked down at my fraying tank top.

I heard Bellamy talking loudly to Finn outside the tent. By the sounds of it, the other campers were watching the whole scene. Clarke noticed it too and gave my shoulder a little pat.

"You should be okay. I'm just going to see what's happening, stay here and rest."

"I don't need rest, I need to help."

"Stay Kora." Clarke snapped.

I sat back and looked around the tent. It was Bellamy's, the biggest one provided enough room for Clarke to carry out her medical work on my shoulder. Truthfully, I didn't want to get involved with what was happening outside. Whether it be arguing over what to do with a runaway Murphy or the grounders._I just didn't care_.

Minutes slipped by and I heard Bellamy's voice raise. I didn't even know why I was staying here, this wasn't my tent. I figured Clarke wasn't coming back so I got up to move. I hobbled over to the tent opening and Bellamy flung the flap opening, it hit my nose and I blinked in surprise.

"Kora, I was looking for you."

"Oh, well you found me so what's up?"

"What are you doing in here?"

"Clarke needed space to clean me up and I don't know where's she's gone so."

"Okay." He said quietly, subconsciously he scratched at his neck where the fresh rope burns were. "I just wanted to say sorry for that Murphy hurt you."

"It's okay, it wasn't your fault."

"If I wasn't such an ass maybe it would've turned out better."

"You're not an ass. Murphy's just a bastard."

"Anyone been to check on you?"

"Nope, except for Clarke and Jasper." I mumbled.

"Hey Bellamy? Are you okay now?" A girl with brown pigtails sticking out her head wandered in. She didn't spare me a second glance.

He coughed and nodded to her. "I'm fine Kaitlin. Thanks."

"Okay, I'll check up on you later in case you need anything."

"That shouldn't be necessary." He said swiftly and she left the tent without another word. I opened my mouth to say something but another girl unzipped the tent.

"Bell? I just heard what happened? Are you okay?"

I rolled my eyes again at the ignorance.

Bellamy crossed his arms and maneuvered her out the tent. "I'm fine Dee."

"If you need anything come and find me. I can be a lot of fun." She giggled and strolled away.

I went to open the tent and walk out but Bellamy stopped me. "Where are you going?"

"Out."

"Why?"

"I wouldn't want to intrude on the pity party."

"What?"

"Nothing." I sighed and shook his hand off me but he held tighter.

"What is wrong with you?"

"Nothing is wrong! I'm fucking fine."

"Well obviously there is."

"I don't need this, let me go."

"Not until you say what's wrong. There's obviously something."

"Just let me leave so your hoard of followers can bow down to your feet and preach your every need."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Look obviously right now your feelings and well-being is greater than mine so-"

"Don't be stupid." He scoffed loudly. Our voices were rising as my anger towards the constant state of ignorance I lay in increased.

"It's not stupid! People are practically laying themselves down so you don't get a slick of mud on your boots and I'd rather not see it."

"That is not how it is." Bellamy argued.

"That's exactly how it is!"

"Are you angry because nobody has been to see if you're okay? Is that it?"

"No, fuck Bellamy you don't get it!" I screamed in frustration.


	24. Chapter 24

_**Hello ! So thank you so so much for the feedback on this fanfiction it means soo much! Warning smut ahead! xx**_

"Fuck Bellamy. You don't get it!" I screamed.

"You're overreacting!" He replied loudly.

I stepped forward. "Don't you dare say that! You have the world at your feet. Everybody loves you and yet you have th audacity to say that to me?"

"I don't understand what you're even upset about! Explain to my why!"

"I've lived my whole life being thrown away like some fuck up and I always put people first. I always make sure they're okay and they're happy. What do I get in return? Fuck all."

"That's not true."

"Yes it is and you know it."

"So what you don't get enough attention?"

"It's not about the attention! It's about the fact I want to feel like people care."

"They do but you're too blind to see it!"

"Screw you. You don't get it."

"What don't I get Kora?" He shouted back. "Your parents are dead, I get it!"

"No. Everybody I love is dead!" I threw my hands up in the air as the words continued to fall out my mouth. "Wells? Fucking hell my mom? I killed my own father Bellamy!"

"People are still alive that care about you!"

"I'm a fucking murderer! It's my fault! God you're so stupid." I screeched at him.

"I'm stupid? Are you serious?"

"There is nobody left Bellamy!"

"What do you mean nobody left? There are dozens of our own in camp right now! Is that not enough?"

"Shut the fuck up Bellamy or I swear-"

"I don't get what you're so hyped up about! What is the fucking matter?"

"Everybody has someone! God do you have any idea how fucking mental it is to watch every single person in this camp have someone they can rely on? Do you have any idea? I sit here and even when I saved Jasper's life and I saved Finns and I saved yours!" My voice cracked and I gulped. "I always come second." It dropped into a whisper.

The distance between us had gotten dramatically close and I swallowed to stop the tears from falling. I'd spilt everything, poured my whole heart out in stupidity and anger.

I looked up at him. My brown eyes meeting his darker ones. His pupils were so dialated I couldn't even see them.

"Bellamy-" I started.

He grabbed my waist tightly and pulled me towards his body. I was stood in a state of shock for a second before I realized his lips were working against mine. They were soft and supple and his teeth tugged at my bottom lip. I responded and moved my lips against his, our tongues sliding over each other. I couldn't help but smile at the feeling, his lips perked up against my own.

He pushed me back against the edge of his bed and I fell back, I started giggling and he gave a short laugh at the shock. Bellamy pulled his head away and looked down at me, I bought my hand up and ran my finger along his stubble. His thumb caressed my cheek and then his lips captured mine again before I could respond. His tongue darted back into my mouth, stroking my own in a slow teasing rhythm. It all happened so fast, my anger was churning into lust and the rate was phenomenal.

I slid my hands up his naked chest and he ran his own over my arms, feather light touches sending chills across my skin. I leaned into his warm body, as he reached to the hem of my tank. He looked down and snickered when he saw the holes fraying the bottom of it.

Unzipping my jeans, I yanked them off my legs. I forgot about the injury and with the sparks delving from his lips I couldn't feel it. My mouth not moving from his. _I wanted him._

Without warning he pulled my top over my head and threw it somewhere else. His hands skimmed along my thighs and he rubbed circles closer and closer to my core. He pushed me back so my whole body was lay underneath him and he unbuttoned his pants quickly. I leaned on my elbows and watched him, his biceps straining the veins as he pulled them off. I threw my head back, exposing my neck.

Suddenly his mouth attacked my neck. His wet lips leaving peppery kisses down along my collarbones, I moaned and laced my fingers in his hair and the feeling. At the sound of my moan, something snapped in him and his hand reached up to cup my breast over the bra, I unclasped it and it rolled off my shoulders and over the bandage.

With him hovering over my waist, I watched nervously as his eyes fell over my exposed top half. His eyes widened and I saw his obvious arousal beneath his black boxers.

Dipping his head down, he ran his hot tongue down the valley of my breasts and over my stomach. My head swirled in erotica and passion at the feel of his wet tongue sliding over my soft skin.

Bellamy's fingers hooked into my pantie line and he slid a finger purposely over my clit. I gasped at the contact, my hips jutting at the touch. He curled his fingers forward and rubbed circles over my core, it sent electric shocks through my body. I moaned into his mouth and he let out a breathy laugh.

"You're so wet princess. Did I do this?" He smirked and painfully slowly moved his hand over my heat.

"Bell, fuck stop it." I groaned.

"You're so fucking beautiful." He whispered in my ear, the teeth crazing the perk. "Are you a virgin?"

"You know I may seem innocent but trust me-" I grazed my teeth along his ear and made sure I pronounced every word with a flick of my tongue. "-I can be as bad as you want me to be."

He gave a growl of arousal into my neck and I reached down and smirked. My hand ran over his abs and he pulled me closer to his body. Skin on skin contact made my senses rocket. My hand slid down and I pressed my palm against the fabric of his boxers; feeling him strain against me.

He pressed himself further into me and I moved my hand over his length over the boxers.

Suddenly the heat from his body left and I whimpered from the loss. "Bell." I purred.

"I love it when you say my name like that." Bellamy said as he slid my panties down, his finger skimming over my thighs and legs. I shook and kicked them off.

The moment he was free of his own boxers, I moaned at the sight of him. His eyes burned into mine and I ran my finger along his length. He moaned and grabbed my thighs; pushing them apart.

It was the biggest turn on in my life. I wanted him to moan again and again.

Wrapping my legs around his waist, my arms around his neck. Bellamy positioned himself, teasing my entrance and I surprised him by sucking on his neck. I licked the spot: running my tongue over the area.

Bellamy slid into my fully and I groaned at his size. He closed his eyes and bit his lips at the feeling of me wrapped around him.

He didn't wait for me to adjust, immediately arching his hips forward and pressing into me further. Each thrust pressed me harder onto him. The sound of skin against skin made everything hotter. A zap rattled through me and I moaned involuntarily as he hit my g-spot.

"F-fuck Bellamy."

My nails dug into his tanned shoulders and I arched my back against the sheets.

His pace increased and I couldn't control the profanities falling from my mouth. His head fell into my neck, his hot breath beating against my chest. "Oh god Kora. Baby please." He moaned.

Grabbing his hair, I laced my fingers into it and tugged. The churning inside me burned higher.

I bit my lip hard when a familiar feeling started in my abdomen. The pace was ridiculous, like a hammering into me. He groaned and I knew he was close.

"I'm going to-"

He groaned in response to my shortly cut words and I couldn't take it anymore. My walls clenched around him and my nails went back to his shoulders; burying into him. It was going to leave a mark but I didn't care.

Holding the flesh of my butt, he pressed me harder into the bed for support. Our breathing was ragged and loud and I clenched again, tighter.

He moaned so loudly into my ear that it was enough to send me over the edge. I cried out and fell over my high. Moaning out his name a final time.

He came and cried out my name which surprised me and I felt overwhelmed. His aroma was everywhere, all over my body. Holding me into a blanket of himself.

We stayed in that position, my legs wrapped around him as he calmed down. Bellamy fell down next to me and bundled my body up into a spoon.

I evened out my breathing but my heart continued to hammer. I could feel his pulse against my back, his heavy arms coaxing me. Bellamy pressed a kiss into the back of my back and left a couple more down my back. I held his hand and kissed each finger and he laughed.

"If I'd of known that's all it took for this to happen, I would've had this argument a long time ago." He kissed my forehead and I looked at him properly. I snuggled into his body and his hot breath fell onto my back as he breathing evened and we fell asleep.


	25. Chapter 25

"Bell, I don't know." I sighed in frustration.

Being stood surrounded by the others was intimidating, Clarke and Bellamy were arguing and I didn't want to be a part of it; Bellamy had other ideas.

"This is our home Kora: we need to protect it." His voice was raised, like the rest of us he was on guard from the grounders. He turned and looked to the rest of the group. "We built this from the ground with our bare hands; our dead are buried behind those walls."

I looked at where Wells body was lay at peace and gave Jasper a sympathetic look. He seemed frightened.

I rolled my shoulder slightly in the socket, overnight the burns seemed to have subsided but it ached.

"I say let them come!" He shouted to us all. He never failed to surprise me with his perseverance to protect the group; he had changed. With the news of an army of grounders heading our way, I couldn't deny the fear creeping into my veins, flashes of the grounder with the burning dagger surrounded everything; his eyes, his war make-up and the flash of death himself.

My thoughts became clouded and I dropped out of the zone in listening to Clarke argue against Bellamy. Thinking back to the night before, I stopped the blush rising to the my cheeks. The swirls of ecstasy and erotica I'd played a part of seemed nearly impossible. Truthfully, I neither cared nor knew what we were labelled as. It didn't matter, we weren't children anymore; this was Earth and there were bigger things to worry about.

My head snapped to attention when everyone started moving about, scrambling to get weapons and supplies. I stopped Clarke. "What are we doing?"

"We're leaving, I'm not going to risk everyone's life."

Behind Clarke, stood Bellamy. We shared a look and I knew he wasn't happy about her decision, giving a slight nod, I moved away to let him speak to her and hurried over to Finn.

Raven was draped in his arms, she winced and clutched her side.

"What happened?"

"Murphy shot her."

_Shit._

"Okay, Finn get her in the drop ship now." I said quickly, taking a final look at Clarke and Bellamy.

I went to work, shoving a hot knife into the boiling flames of the fire. I hurried back into the drop ship and pushed Raven's head down against the metal table. "This is going to hurt a little."

"No shit." She said, her voice laced with pain.

Cracking a tiny smile at the sarcasm she still held, I pressed the hot knife the bullet wound. She cried out and gritted her teeth together just as Bellamy and Clarke ran in.

"How _in the fuck_ did Murphy get a gun?" I said angrily.

"He got lucky?" Raven croaked.

Bellamy interrupted her and looked at us all. "We could make peace with the reapers. We have a common enemy."

Clarke looked like she was about to vomit. "Not these. They won't want to make peace."

"Raven won't be able to run Bell."

He sighed and ran a hand over his face.

"Like hell I can't." Raven spat. She went to move but I shoved her back down immediately.

"The bullet is still inside you Raven. If the heavens have opened and shone their asses down on you then maybe there's no internal bleeding. You are not walking anywhere."

Her brown eyes switched between each one of mine and she nodded weakly in surrender.

"Right, get a stretcher Finn."

He nodded swiftly, the tension in the drop ship was formidable. I could hear the scatter of running campers and the clanging of guns being hoisted over shoulders.

"Can't run away fast enough, huh?" Bellamy spat just as Finn started walking.

I sighed and glared at him, his frustration towards wanting to stay was annoying and childish; except this was Bellamy so he wanted to get his way.

"-spoken like every coward who's run away from a fight." Levelling himself against Finn, I put a hand on his elbow and tugged him away.

"Stop, we're leaving now. This isn't necessary." I scolded him.

He slammed his mouth shut and I saw out the corner of my eye Clarke raising an eyebrow at how obedient he was to my command.

"Kora, this- we need to stay." He muttered.

Finn huffed and jogged away, getting the stretcher and I shook my head at Bellamy.

"Those kids out there, they are willing to die for you Bell. It's that kind of commitment we need to keep alive, this is what will." I said smoothly. "Come on." Coaxing him to pick his bag up, I gently pulled him out the drop ship as Finn ran in to carry Raven.

I was handed a gun, and like Bellamy taught me, I hooked it over my shoulder and watched as the group filled out. Clarke glanced at Finn and they shared a look before they departed out the gates.

Looking around, the camp looked like it hadn't been abandoned. There wasn't an eerie silence, like the teens of the 100 had lost hope and left. The sodden ground was muddy and the footsteps of us all had been buried into the ground. The fire still roaring in the middle where Jasper had gotten wasted with Monty.

_Monty._

He was missing, I'd awoken and found a frozen Jasper. He was sat staring at Monty's bed sheets like he would spring up from them. Except he didn't.

"Are we going?" Bellamy's rough voice said behind me.

I turned and gave him a sad smile. "Yeah, I know it's not what you want but we need to."

"We'll see." He looked at the ground, then his eyes switched to different areas of the camp; he looked: distraught.

"Hey." I said calmly. "You okay?"

"18 kids are dead because of me."

"82 kids are _alive_ because of you."

He snapped his head up and took in my words. He tangled his fingers through his messy hair then grabbed the bucket of stagnant water before pouring it over the fire; like a final action towards our departure.

It sizzled, the smoke soaring into the air making the clear blue sky clouded and stink of fire.

As we walked in sync away from the cleared fire wood, cold hard fingers knotted into mine. I looked up at Bellamy and he moved closer; our arms knitted next to one another.

We followed the cluster of people, guns at the ready; walking through the dense trees. The morning mist was unsettling, it made me agitated and I used my free hand to grip tighter to the weapon I held.

Like Bellamy would've, Octavia was leading down the front. Jasper by her side, his shoulders hunched like he was afraid a grounder would jump out and brutally murder us all. We'd barely gotten 5 minutes outside the camp when Octavia threw her arm out.

A dark-skinned boy jumped back when her fist nearly collided with his face but everyone was too pre-occupied to notice. I felt Bellamy's hand hold on tighter to mine, like he needed reassurance I wouldn't get left behind.

"Do you see anything?" I whispered up to him.

He shook his head and muttered the word 'no' but at the same time the swirling of quick thundering metal shooting through the air sounded. The scream of a girl made me stumble back and I strained to looked across the crowd of people.

My eyes briefly landed on the body of a blond haired boy before he fell back, a metal weaponised star sticking out his face; it was neatly shot between his eyes. Bellamy yanked me back, he seemed to shield me away from the oncoming hoard of people trying to get back to our abandoned home.

We burst through the gates, I let go of Bellamy's hand and ran up to the front lines where the gunners usually positioned themselves. I held my hand over the receiver and clutched the trigger. just as Clarke fell to her knees next to me; looking out of the camp walls.

"Anything?"

"No, I don't think they were even attacking." I shook my head at her. "We're just the pawns in their game, they're luring us back here."

"I know." She sighed. Bellamy and Octavia ran over.

"Scouts?" Octavia asked me.

"I think so, they want us to be here for the final attack."

"We can fight our way through the scouts. Can't we?" Finn crossed his arms next to Clarke.

"Sounds good. "

"No." Bellamy said roughly. "We stay here and fight. It's too late now."

"Fine, you get the war you want." Clarke spat.

I untied the tight fish-tail braid I'd had my hair in and shook my head so the ridged waves flowed down my back. Hoisting myself up, I loaded my gun and softly lay my finger on the safety lock.

"Okay." I said as I clicked the loaded gun into place. "Let's kick some ass then right?"

I followed Octavia out the camp, feeling pretty badass if I may say so.

Despite that feeling, the eminent thought that something awful was about to happen, I swallowed hard and grabbed the empty mines Raven had put out.

"Kora!" Finn shouted. I turned around to see him heading further into the forest.

"What?"

"Is there any rocket fuel in those?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Give it to Clarke, we have a plan."

"But what about-"

"We're going to burn the grounders, like a barbecue around the drop ship."

Letting out a breath at her genius idea, I exhaled and nodded. "Okay, that's brilliant, where are you off to?"

"The bullet is in Raven's spine, I have to get the medicine from Lincoln."

"Shit, okay. I'll go and help in the drop ship with the rocket fuel."

"Make sure she doesn't do anything stupid!" He shouted and sprinted away into the forest.

"Miller, cover for me out here." I turned to him and he nodded, taking the bullets out of my pocket. "Cheers, be careful."

"Will do captain." He saluted and smiled even with our impending doom hanging over our heads.

I crawled through the dug out holes back into camp and ran straight for the drop ship. Bustling campers running and helping one another get ready for what was to come. It was uplifting to see how we worked together in times of need. Our backgrounds were put away, our pasts no longer mattered.

_Who we were before, are not who we are now._

__"Kora!" Bellamy shouted just as I lifted the plastic flaps open.

"Yeah Bell?" I called and turned to meet him as he jogged up to me.

"I'm going to be on the front gun lines later, I need you to stay in the drop ship with Raven."

"Bell-" I sighed. "-if you're asking me to sit back and allow you to do all the work you're wrong."

"I knew you'd say that."

"I'll be outside helping, not inside."

"Just stay close to the middle, not on the edge yeah?"

"Okay, but you have to be where I can see you."

He dropped his head and gave a little smile. "Sure, whatever you want princess."

Nodding, I smiled and turned to help Raven but I could feel Bellamy's hand cup my waist. He pulled me back and I twirled into him. A smooth finger hooked underneath my chin and tilted my head up to meet his lips. He captured them and ran a hot tongue over my bottom lip.

Moving against each other, I felt his tongue try to come between my pink lips but I pulled away with a devilish smirk. "Finish it off later when you get back here safe."

He bought his bottom lip between his teeth and his eyes were dark. "Whatever you want princess." He repeated with a lower and more seductive tone.

Giggling, I strolled into the drop ship; no where near prepared for what was to come.


	26. Chapter 26

"Raven, I need you to keep your legs stretched out." I snapped, using an angered tone would usually convince her not to answer back; she was incompetently stubborn.

"Yes sir." She huffed. "Pass me that mine would you?"

I handed her the bomb full of unlit rocket fuel and with a slight wince, she unscrewed it and poured it into another canister.

"You ready to blow these fuckers to hell?" She asked, her voice was strained from the pain in her back.

"Sure, as long as we get everyone inside before it goes off."

"You mean, as long as we get Bellamy inside before it goes off. Right?"

I glanced at her comment and shrugged. "The others matter too, it's not just Bellamy out there."

"I know." She said with a little chirp in her voice. "Just saying, you should try not to make so much noise next time."

My mouth dropped open and she threw her head back and laughed. "I'm joking!" She said in a gasp full of humour. "I couldn't hear anything, but you've basically just admitted everything so..."

"Okay, so yes we did." I sighed.

"How'd it go?"

I felt my cheeks go red and burst into flames. "It went alright. I- I guess."

"Bless, were you a virgin?"

"No, I knew what was happening." I said sarcastically and she gave a short laugh as she jammed a screwdriver into another canister to open it. "Look, this isn't really the best time to be joking about this sort of thing."

She looked up and tightened her lips together. "I know, I'm just trying to distract myself."

"Kora!" Clarke shouted quickly, making me jump with the bandages in my hand. "Raven, have you got the rocket fuel?"

"Here, spread it evenly." She warned, her tone once again full of pain and agitation. Passing Clarke the canisters she'd filled, Clarke switched to me.

"There's war drums outside, I can take it from here. Take my other gun."

Nodding, I followed her command and picked up her heavy duty loaded gun. It was heavier than my personal one but it would have to do.

Bellamy was crouched at the edge of the trees with two others, peering into the darkness of the night. Shadows swooped across their aim of fire, like dancers they sprinted from each passing tree; the bullets fired out and I covered my ears in surprise.

I picked up a spare walkie-talkie and listened to Jasper telling us not to fire. It was then that a cold gust of air travelled into the crooks of my bones. I felt sick to my stomach, a realization hit that this could be the last night I'll ever see the stars or feel the rain against my skin.

I swallowed the lump building in my throat and forced the gag back into my stomach.

"Clarke?" I bought the radio up to my lips. "What do you want me to-"

"Kora, get back in the drop ship." Bellamy's deep voice was covered in static as he shred his demand at me.

"What?" I scoffed. "Clarke needs me on the front lines."

"Please-"

His words were cut off by rapid gun fire, by the cawing of war cries getting louder and louder. On instinct, I dropped the walkie talkie and hoisted Clarke's gun to my chest, stumbling back and pointing at the gate.

My eyes widened in terror at the low shouts of attack and the swift moving people darting into the camp. A lone ranger sprinted into camp, axe held high; eyes full of terror and an evil possessiveness. He was bald, tattooed and a bulky figure. H e let out an inhumane shout and my stomach dropped when he ran towards me. His feet pounding against the ground, the dirt flying up from his boots.

_I couldn't move._

A shot escaped from Bellamy's gun, it pierced the grounders head; shooting blood across the muddy ground.

I looked up at him and he gave a curt nod. Then it was silent.

Looking up, the clear sky was dazzled with thousands of stars. It was as if they very heavens above us were sending us off with the clearest of nights; that if we were to die at least we'd see something worth lying beneath as we took our final breaths.

Except it wasn't just the stars, it was a burning flame shooting down. For the seconds it fell through the night we all stood in unison watching as it burned and shot out spits of metal and ash. It looked like a ship.

"The Ark." I whispered in disbelief. It fell faster and faster, hitting the atmosphere I trained my eyes on the pieces flying off it and watches as the different sections of our life before fell away. Deep down, I wondered if there was anyone alive but my thoughts told me there was no hope left.

In the surprise at the sight of the Ark, we all forgot our posts and it was only when hoots of war echoed throughout the forest outside our boundaries I turned and saw Clarke run into Finn's arms.

"What's happening?" I asked urgently. There were clangs of swords and armoury outside the gates, it didn't belong to us.

"Reapers, we got the reapers."

"This is a terribly brilliant idea."

Sighing, he handed Raven's medicine to Clarke and faced me properly. "I know."

"Is Lincoln with you?"

"He went to find Octavia."

Nodding, i jogged away from him and we parted ways. Holding my gun up, I aimed and fired at a grounder. He was just about to swing his axe across the base of Miller's neck when my bullet pierced his palm. The poor shot was enough for him to drop the axe onto his own face, he let out a high pitched squeak and scrambled to unclog the blade from his eye.

"Move Miller!" I shouted, he stood in shock for a second then gave a sarcastic thumbs up before sprinting off to the drop ship.

It was probably the best idea to stop, drop and run for our lives but I wanted to wait for Bellamy. I felt compelled to, he'd ran out of camp earlier and I needed to wait.

Aiming at another grounder, I felt awful for not having a hesitated shot but it was either my life or theirs. Truthfully, I wasn't ready to let the possible future I had left go.

I pulled the trigger and the grounder fell to the muddy floor. His face slammed against the mud and like some of our own, he was a fallen soldier.

"Bellamy!" I shouted frantically. The grounders continued to fall into the camp, alongside the reapers it was a bloodied mess. I fell back and let out a cry as as grounder sliced the head of a reaper clean off.

A splatter of blood hit my cheek and I winced when I fell onto the palms of my hands. Looking up, I gasped and stumbled trying to get up from the grounder who was stalking towards me. His size bore hideously over me and in panic I fumbled for the trigger of my gun.

My hands shook and I felt my foot being yanked forward, letting out a cry of pain as the force shot straight to my thigh. I dropped the gun and kicked out despite the re-opening of my wound.

"Everyone in the drop ship now!" Clarke yelled out to the remainder of us.

I ducked my head at the overhead gun fire and crawled on my hands and knees to the drop ship. I could feel the grounders presence behind me and I dropped to the floor; hair matting into the mud.

The blazing fire of a gun made me look up. All the commotion around me made my ear feel like they were bleeding, mines were exploding at the gateway but it didn't stop the smile of relief as Bellamy swung the gun in his hand and swiftly knocked the grounder in the nose.

His rough hand clasped mine and I helped him hoist me off the ground. I winced and immediantly his hand came to my waist, gently pushing me towards Clarke.

"Bellamy, come on! We have to go!" I shouted over the noise, battle cries made it difficult and with my hoarse voice I'm surprised he heard me.

"Kora- Kora come on." Clarke pulled me behind the sandbags she was hiding behind.

"No, Bellamy." I snapped and turned back to him. "Bellamy, come on! Leave him and run!"

I let out a choked breath as the grounder swung his fist around and knocked Bellamy off his feet. His body hit the ground and I shoved away from Clarke but her nails dug into my arms. Finn aimed his gun at the grounder and fired, blood spurted from his shoulder and he let out a grunt.

"No! Finn no!" Clarke cried when she realized Finn was about to risk his life for Bellamy.

Watching in dismay, all we could do was trip and try to coax them into the drop ship. I pulled against Clarke's hand and felt hot tears falling down my face.

_Bellamy wasn't going to be left behind. He isn't going to die._

"Bellamy! Oh god please no." I cried.

The grounder threw Finn to the ground and Bellamy used the last of his strength to fight against the grounder attacking them both. By now, we had both stopped fighting and trying to get into the drop ship.

Bellamy turned for a split second, his face came up into smile and a gentle nod. I shook my head frantically. "You have to go princess." He said said sadly, I watched his lips move subtly like the world was good once again.

"No, Bellamy no!" I screamed at him. "You have to stay with me! You have to!" My voice croaked and my cries were dying down, my voice was being lost into oblivion. "Goddammit Bell please! Run!"

Bellamy was cast aside like a rag-doll into the mud, a grounder placed a hard boot against his chest and that was the last I saw before Miller grabbed my shoulders and yanked me from the ground. I screamed and pummelled on his arms.

"I need you! Bellamy, I need you!" I cried.

Miller placed my thrashing body down inside the drop ship. The door rolled up before I could jump out and I hit my head against the metal door. "I need you." I whispered into it.

...

With a blast, the entire drop ship shook. You could feel the heat through the protective walls, all I could think of was Bellamy lay outside dying. Because I left him.

"Kora!" Clarke yelled at me.

Wiping my cheeks, I turned around angrily and looked at the ground. The leader was tied against the floor, she glanced up at me; her eyes were full of disgust and hatred.

_The feeling was mutual._

With the shuddering around us as we fried the grounders, all I felt was numbness.

Even when we dropped open the door and sunlight flooded in with fresh air to fill my starved lungs, I still dragged my feet along the rubble and ash. Flecks of burnt flesh littered the ground, bones scattered with axes and guns.

I barely heard Clarke talking, my eyes landed on a skeleton with a sword dug into his chest. Like the sword the grounder was about to use on me; the one that belonged to the same grounder that attacked Bellamy. Tears flowed and dripped onto the floor, you could feel the heat still rising up from the put out embers.

It wasn't even a funeral. It was a massacre.

Staring down at the mangle of bones, the skin still frying on them; I couldn't imagine how painful it must've been. Bellamy's last moment was in agony.

My lip wobbled uncontrollably, I sniffed and let out a shaky breath.

"Kora, move!" Clarke shouted behind me.

I span around on instinct and her eyes regsitered my swollen cheeks, my puffy eyes but they fell to the ground where red smoke started to sive upwards from a metal can. It spewed out quickly, I didn't move.

I took a deep breath and immediately the air got stuck in my throat. Coughing, I fell to my knees and gagged on the wretched smell of burning and an acidic substance. I wretched on my hands and knees next to the bones and my mind became fuzzy as I breathed in more.

Gagging, the black spot hit my eyesight. The blue sky covered with a blood-red mist and I felt tired, sleepy. My hands became numb and I fell to the ground. The side of my face hit the ash and I inhaled on impact; spluttering against the ground, a green light beamed through the clouds of red.

I tried to keep my eyes open, forcing them as wide as possible but the last thing I saw were black heavy armoured boots.


	27. Chapter 27

_"Princess you need to go." _

_Bellamy's face was distorted, his mouth became crooked and his eyes became hollow; the formation of a skull where he used to be came to view. The tanned skin shredded like paper and swirled in the patterns of the wind I couldn't feel. _

_I was frozen on the spot, I wanted to reach out and put him together again. _

_His hand came up, his fingers reached for my face; to caress my cheek and rid me of my nightmares. Except this was the nightmare. _

_Ghosting across my skin, I squeezed my eyes closed and tried to feel his touch but there was nothing. Re-opening my eyes, I let out a sob. My hand came to mouth as I watched Bellamy crumple in front of me, he fell like an angel falling from grace and blood dribbled from his eyes. _

_Once again, I wracked a cry and watched flames burst up over his skin. It was fueled by nothing and I wanted it to end. _

_Falling to my knees, I reached out a shaking hand and tried to grab him and put out the fire. I grappled harder and harder, reaching the point of insanity as whimpers escaped my mouth. As quickly as he had come, he disappeared. _

_"No!" I screamed, I couldn't hold it in. _

_A force knocked me to the ground, my own mind playing tricks in my dreams and I scratched against the ground. It felt of nothing._

_Then I awoke._


	28. Chapter 28

Like I'd been dosed in purity and drowned in a prayer, everywhere was white. It physically hurt to try and readjust to the room I was lay in. My toes were curled at the edge of the soft element my body rested against. It was unlike anything I'd ever felt before; stretching my fingers over the material it was almost like touching a feather.

_Was I dead?_

I used everything I had in me and pushed myself upwards, my body sprung up and immediantly the world became clearer. Squinting slightly, I looked up and around. My eyes hovered on the pristine white walls, the white bed, the white floor; everywhere was white.

Swinging my legs over the side of the bed, my toes couldn't reach the floor. My shoulders slumped in confusion and I raised my hands up above me. The nails were clean and filed correctly; short and not jogged and full of dirt, blood and grime.

White leggings covered my legs and an obvious ridge on my thigh where a bandage lay underneath. My arms were covered in bruises and against the pearl coloured sheets, the purple and blue shades looked hideous.

I couldn't understand. My head swirled with thousands of thoughts. Why would they help me? What was I doing here? Who were _they_?

Wincing, I stood up. It was as if I'd been lay asleep for months except without the relaxation. Stretching my toes on the cold floor, I awkwardly stepped around the room. Leaving the bed sprawled with it's covers drooping on the floor.

Bags of saline hung from metal poles and I ripped plaster holding the pump out my arm. Throwing to the ground and running a hand through my hair.

"What am I doing here?" I whispered in angst to myself.

My eyes landed on a door, pale and with a single window. I grabbed the handle immediately and tugged at it harshly. Pulling harder when the door wouldn't open, making me locked inside.

A masked figure swung open the door, stumbling back, the back of knees hit the bed and I fell back in fright. The being was in a mint green suit, a vacuumed tube in their black-gloved hand.

For a second, we stared at one another. The mask was slightly tinted and I didn't like the look of the tube pointing directly at me.

Jumping up, I forcefully shoved against the figure. Pushing them hard enough to cry out and fall to the ground with a grunt.

The walls felt like they were closing in around me, adrenaline pumped through my veins and despite the limp I had to use so my leg wouldn't hurt, I sprinted down the corridor outside the room. My bare feet hit the cold tiles and the slap echoed through the entire hallway.

My breathing was loud but I could hear the sound of someone chasing me. Their boots were deeper and more forced than mine, I felt a whimper escape my lips as I skidded around a corner. The walls were made of brick, they were old and hard-worn.

Vividly, I saw the number 3 on a sign and my feet touched carpet. I skidded to a stop and looked up, like a startled deer, Clarke stood with an older man talking profusely with one another.

"What the-"

"You're not aloud out of quarantine!" A male voice shouted behind me. Clarke snapped her head in my direction and I tried to get to her.

The arms dragged me backwards, my heels skimmed the floor painfully.

"Let me go!" I screamed and kicked out, the man held a hand out to them and I was dropped to the ground. Hissing, I wobbled to my feet and backed against the cold wall.

"Kora-" He began. "-We were just coming to get you."

"How do you know my name?" I snapped.

"All in good time my dear. Come, your quarantine schedule finished over an hour ago, you should be ready to go see the others." He gave a smile, the wrinkles crinkled around his eyes. Except his eyes - they were dark. I ignored the stench of distrust I had for him and looked at Clarke.

"C-Clarke? What's going on?"

"We're at Mt. Weather Kora."

Throwing aside her explanation, I looked at the old man again. "You said 'others'. Who are they?" Hissing at him, I laced venom in all my words.

He gave a chuckle and shooed away the men in masks. "Come, I shall show you."

"I-"

"Just go with it Kora." Clarke whispered into my ear.

I glanced at her for a second and nodded, following her order. My fear against these people was slightly at ease with Clarke being beside me but the whole place was too on point. Everything was pristine, it was almost insane.

Cocking an eyebrow, my eyes travelled down to a large case on the side of the hallway. It had been dragged out of a dumbwaiter, with the thud of it, I took a hesitant step forward. The man bent down and open up the trunk, it swung open to reveal clothes. Necklaces, heels, sequined shirts. Everything I didn't want.

"You may change in here, Clarke and I shall wait for you." He motioned towards a small closet type room. Dragging the rugged case in myself, I slammed the door shut and leaned my head against the wall.

Hovering my hand over the different tops, I wrinkled my nose in disgust. Less than two days ago, I'd watched my friends burn to death; been the reason they'd died and now I was being treated like everything was okay. Bellamy was gone.

Bellamy was gone.

_Bellamy was gone._

Deep in my mind a thought sprung up that they'd made it out alive, that Bellamy had ran away safe. The mere insanity I began to feel as I delved into the different routes they could've took to survive made me want to gag.

I shook my head furiously and shoved the feminine garments away. The closet I'd been sent to get changed in seemed like a uniform supply room. Grabbing a pair of worn brown boots, just my size, I tugged them on with a pair of socks. The trousers were slim fitted, for a female, and I grabbed a deep green jumper which must've been meant for a camouflage but it had long since faded.

Strolling out, I ignored the quirked eyebrow of the man and continued down the corridor with Clarke, she looked apprehensive and I knew she didn't trust her surroundings.

I couldn't feel the awkwardness as we followed a dreary white bricked path because my head was imploding like a supernova. Did Jaha lie to us? Everything seemed wrong, I wasn't ready to be controlled by the people of Mt Weather. I wanted to go home, to the camp; to snuggle back into Bellamy's knitted duvet and pretend nothing happened.

The sad truth is - it was never going to be the same ever again.

As we neared a corner, my ears pricked to the sound of faint chatter. Anxiousness started in my lower stomach but it flooded out with my gasp when we walked onto soft carpet, a rich burgundy and the faces of familiarity.

I looked wildly at the group of tangled camp mates, they looked relaxed; clothes freshly washed and their hair tousled after a long shower.

"Kora!" Monty shouted. "Clarke!"

"Monty, you're alive." I said in disbelief.

His arms encircled around my back and I was pulled into a deep hug. Pressing myself tightly into him, I let out a laugh and gave him a light squeeze before pulling away. The others flooded us, their smiles and cheers of delight were uplifting. Jasper tightly squeezed me to him, he smelt of hand-made soap and lavender.

"I didn't know if you'd made it." He admitted.

Shrugging, I went on my tip toes and looked over the group. "Is Bellamy in quarantine still or is he out here?" My voice cracked, I knew his answer already.

His smile dropped, and he placed a warm hand around my shoulders. "Bellamy- Bellamy didn't make it Kora. We both saw him with the-"

"Don't say it." I snapped.

"Sorry."

"No, no it's fine. I just-" I sighed and gave a smile. "-have a habit of living on false hope."

He smiled sadly but perked up a bit at his next comment. "Dinner is in a bit. Do you want to sit with me and Monty?"

"Dinner? As in an actual meal?" I scoffed.

He nodded quickly, his eyes lighting up with delight. "I hear they have desert too!"

"Whoa, alright I'm in." I lied the smile and Monty grabbed my elbow and I was yanked to the food hall. As I passed the old man, I didn't return his smile. It was forced, I could tell.

...

"Fuck no. Get your own, you pig." I laughed at Monty, his fork stabbed at the table when I moved my plate away.

"Just a bite." His licked his lips and widened his eyes at the size of my chocolate cake slice.

"Jasper-" I gasped dramatically. "-Save me."

"Fear not. Have a piece of mine."

Monty nearly gasped on the fork when Jasper shovelled it into his mouth. Gagging, his coughed out the utensil and chewed on the pie. Swallowing hard, his lips quirked into a smile and a posh tip of the head.

"That is some damn good pie."

I laughed and took a bite of my cake, it was made from grounded cocoa to create the chocolate. Nothing like on the Ark, the flavour burst in my mouth and I groaned in satisfaction whilst Monty refused to share with Jasper.

Like a couple of school children, they played with their food and poked one another with the cutlery. It was only when Clarke took a seat that they sat down and behaved; she was the strict headteacher in this scenario.

"You want any cake?" I asked casually. Despite the ever-growing distrust I felt, there was no point throwing myself a pity party when we weren't going to get out of here any time soon.

"I'm not eating." She said, her tone was cold. Sliding a map over to me, she snapped a finger to it. "This is a map with no exits."

I saw Jasper's face drop when he realized what she was hinting at.

"There's something wrong here. This is too good to be true." She whispered.

I put my fork down and looked up at her over the faux flowers in the middle of the table. Sighing, I ran a hand over my tired eyes. "I know Clarke."


End file.
